Circus Gothica Du Freak
by VampireFrootloopsRule
Summary: Danny didn't get saved from Freakshow and now he doesn't even remember his past. he's been living as Freakshow's servent for two years and life seems hopeless, until he comes across another certain circus. Books not necessary, but you should have a basic understanding of DP. Please read! T for paranoia-Image done by Sholay found here Thanks, hun!
1. trapped

**Full summary- What if before Darren, there was a half-ghost apprentice? How would this effect the half vampire side of things? What if Danny didn't get saved by Sam and Tucker after the Freakshow incident? What if it was up to one Larten Crepsley to help the poor boy? Set after episode Control Freaks and before the Cirque du Freak books, but it is in modern day America. Also, Ultimate Enemy has already happened.**

**Danny didn't get saved by Sam and Tucker after the Freakshow incident, in fact, they think he's dead (don't know how, they just do for the sake of the story).**

**Danny-What have you done with me THIS time?**

**Me-*look of pure innocence* what? I don't know what you're talking about.**

**Danny-Sure you don't.**

**Me-Do I own you?**

**Danny-As much as it pains so many people…no you don't. Nobody does accept Butch Hartman and maybe Nickelodeon *grumbles*why anyone owns me is so wrong**

**Me-Darn, I was hoping you would say something different. What about the Cirque Du Freak? Do I own that? Pretty pleeeaaase?**

**Larten-No, the privilege of that goes to one Darren Shan. Not my apprentice, some other Darren Shan**

**Me-Darn it again!**

**Danny-hey, who's he?**

**Larten-and who are you? Both of you**

**Me-(looks at both knowingly) you'll find out**

**A/N: ok so my idea of half ghost doesn't age as fast, maybe one year in two (half as fast). So Danny will age at the same speed as a full vamp and age one year every twenty if he turns into a full Vampire. But will he survive that long? I doubt it with what I'm going to put him through. I won't follow the books since I think CDF was in Europe and this is in America, but besides that, this is set before Darren ever came into the picture.**

**Oh and I originally had this written in first person-Danny, so if you see any "I's" or "me's" let me know so I can change it. I'm trying to convert this whole story into third person, but I might get lazy and skip over a part. I don't know how that will work out, but I will do my best.**

_Edit 11/1/11- just a few mistakes here and there I fixed. If your reading this for the first time, don't worry about it, k? If you are re-reading this, than I have taken out Harkat, and any mention that Danny knows he's half-human. I've also fixed my aging problem that I had in my authors note. I had it backwards, so that's fixed._

**Chapter 1- Trapped**

Danny stood in the treasure car with four other ghosts. Around him, he was surrounded by the wealth of his master, but the enormity of it was lost on the boy, his job was to only guard the car and that was exactly what he did. It had been almost two years since he had first come under the power of Freakshow, and he hated every second of it. He was conscious of what he was doing now, but didn't really have a say in what it was that he did, Freakshow's Crystal Ball made sure of that. If he was given an order, he had to abide by it, no exceptions. Although, unlike the other minions, Danny was the only one with a free thinking mind and he was currently taking advantage of that fact.

At the moment, Danny was letting his mind wander trying to dig up any memories he could, but came up with the same, broken and confusing things he always saw: a girl with purple eyes, a tall teenage girl with flowing orange-red hair and ice blue eyes that were so familiar, two people in jumpsuits, one a large man in orange, the other a petite woman in blue. There were other people, but they didn't come to his mind as readily as these four did. Danny always wondered who they were; could they have been people from his past? Did they know about who he was? Danny didn't know anything about his life before Freakshow. All he _did_ know about was the fact that he wasn't going to be free from the deranged human until his last breath.

Of course, that didn't stop him from plotting his escape. Danny dreamed of one day flying overhead with no worries, no limitations, and no Crystal Ball. If he remembered anything from his past life, it was the fact that he knew he used to be free, and he longed for that feeling every day.

Danny shook his head, trying to dislodge it of his depressing thoughts; he focused on what he _did_ know.

He knew his name: Danny. He knew his age: 16. And he knew that he was half-ghost. Although, that fact confused him greatly. He didn't know why, but some deep rooted instinct always told him to hide his other half and he didn't even know what that half was! He never changed into that side of him ever, somehow knowing that Freakshow would find out eventually and try to use it to his advantage somehow, and Danny was always looking for ways to complicate Freakshow's life, no matter how insignificant it seemed.

Danny looked up when he heard a ringing in his ear. "Speak of the Devil…" he muttered to himself. That ringing indicated when Freakshow was calling to his minions. It was an odd sound that seemed to pulse from the direction of the staff and could reach as far as those under its control were located. Frankly, Danny found it annoying, but there was nothing he could do about it. As long as he was under the control of that Crystal Ball, he had to obey.

Danny and the other four minions flew to the conductor's car where they all knew Freakshow would be. He stood there expectantly, staff in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other, facing the outside window. Where he got the coffee, however, was beyond Danny. His master's behavior always confused him, but he was used to it. After all, besides his fellow minions, Freakshow was the only _human_ Danny really knew. Careful to keep his eyes averted from the glowing red orb, Danny studied his surroundings and awaited his master's words.

The conductor's car was small compared to the size of the other cars; it only had room for the controls, a small seat in front of them, and the furnace in the back. There was a small bed in the corner, but by the way it was haphazardly made, you could tell it wasn't the most used piece of furniture in the room.

When he knew that all of his drones were present, Freakshow turned his attention to them. "Ok, minions! Tomorrow, we will be coming up to the next town. I tell you this, not because I care, which I don't, but I think you should be preparing for the oncoming jobs. Most will be in the same manner as the last town we hit, but some will be from people who aren't ordinary humans. They might give you a bit of trouble, but I still expect the full haul. So go…do ghost's sleep? Whatever, I don't care, just rest up for tomorrow. It's going to be fun." He let out one of his annoying laughs, and the five ghosts in front of him were forced to join in. After a moment more of the weird laughing, he raised his hand and dismissed Danny and the others to their sleeping car.

Danny sighed joyfully when he arrived in the sleeping car. It was a rare thing for Freakshow to allow them any rest at all and Danny was thankful for ever second he got of it. Danny may not have needed as much sleep as would be the case if he were in his other form, he somehow knew, but he still needed rest every once in a while, though the other ghosts didn't. He vividly remembered a few months ago when he had been forced to stay awake for a week and been beaten by Freakshow because he had fallen asleep in midair when he was supposed to be guarding the train.

The young halfa shuddered with the memory, but didn't dwell on it. He needed to sleep and he was being allowed to get the rest he so desperately needed, he wasn't about to waist this opportunity. Freakshow had been sending them out on job after job, and then out to perform in the circus everyday for 5 days strait, he was exhausted. Silently, he floated over to one of the bunks and sunk into the comfortable mattress. At least, it was comfortable for him; he didn't know that what he thought was a plush mattress was actually just a threadbare sheet on top of cold, hard, metal. Despite that fact, however, as soon as his arm was tucked behind his head for a pillow, Danny was out like a light.

**(Word is being weird so this is a line break)**

When Danny awoke a few hours later, he sat up and stretched lazily. Looking around at the car, he noticed that the side door was open.

_Maybe one of the others went out on a job?_

Danny looked at the other bunks to check who was missing. He had barely heard the others talk since they only responded to their master, but he had decided to give them all names. Well, besides Lydia, the tattooed ghost already had a name and she was present and accounted for, standing in the farthest corner from the door. He saw the largest of the group, whom he had named Tiny; sitting with the dwarf he called Charlie. They were just sitting at the moment, since they never took any action that Freakshow didn't tell them to. Seeing them and no one else, Danny concluded that it was Sarah, the contortionist, who was missing from the group, which made sense. The young halfa had noticed right from the start that Sarah was one of the more free-spirited ghosts of the group. Danny would always watch as she tried to act as human as possible, choosing to open the door instead of just phasing through it. It was evident that she fought just as hard as Danny to gain freedom, even if she could only do so with little acts of rebellion every now and then.

He stood and walked over to the door, enjoying the cool breeze created from the movement of the train. He stared longingly out the door and towards the beautiful blue sky, dotted with fluffy white clouds, but no matter how long he stared, he knew that he wouldn't be able to pass the threshold. Freakshow had ordered them all that they were not to leave the sleeping car, ever, unless he called to them. Sighing in resignation, he resorted to watching the landscape below.

The tracks they were currently on were placed high on a hill that stretched as far as the eye could see, giving Danny a birds-eye view of the valley below. The land was green and lush with little flowers with trees dotting the landscape. As he watched, they passed some sort of clearing with tents and trailers. People were milling around, carrying bundles of things he couldn't make out. The people there looked odd to Danny, but all humans did.

He could see one guy who was at least eight feet tall with a tall hat that added another foot to his height. There was also a group of little people **(A/N: I know that's what they're called, but how else am I going to describe them?) **that wore dark hooded robes and masks and… was that green skin?

Danny turned to the bunk behind him to look at Charlie. The small ghost looked a lot like the little green people in the clearing, if you didn't count the wardrobe and slight glow. The Little People seemed to all move together, as if they shared one mind.

One of them, however, seemed different. He seemed to walk with purpose. He held his head high, with his hood showing a little more of his face, while the others hung their head and wouldn't allow the boy to see more than the mask. It was a lot like the difference between Danny and Freakshow's other ghosts. He still tried to fight, the others either didn't try, had lost the will to escape, or didn't have the willpower _to_ fight.

All of them seemed lifeless. Yes, Danny's companions were ghosts, but something told him that they should have cared about _something_.

Danny turned his attention back to the world outside, this time turning his gaze back to the sky. It was perfect weather: a few clouds here and there to block out the sun and a nice, warm, breeze blowing: perfect weather for flying. Responding to his thoughts, his feet rose from the ground and melded into a wispy tail. He floated forward, but was stopped by the unseen force that was the Crystal Ball and its influence. He may have had more control over his actions than the others, but he was still tied to Freakshow and his commands, whether he wanted to be or not.

**A/N: So what do you think? This is my first crossover so please give me your feedback with the little bubble at the bottom.**

**So the little person isn't Harkat, he's my own little person who you will meet eventually and the one with the hat was Mr. Tall. I've decided this is going to be before Darren so eventually we will have chapters with him _and_ Danny as apprentices. But that won't be till much, _much_, later.**

**Either way, this is set in modern day, so yeah.**

**Review please! Even if you are starting late, I want all of your thoughts!**


	2. the fight against the inevitable

**A/N: So what do you think? This is my first crossover so please give me your feedback with the little bubble at the bottom.**

**So the little person with the limp was Harkat, and the one with the hat was Mr. Tall. I've decided this is going to be before Darren so eventually we will have chapters with him **_**and**_** Danny as apprentices. But that won't be till much later.**

**Either way, this is set in modern day, so yeah.**

**Review please!**

**A/N: this first bit is in Larten Crepsley's point of view. I think it'll help set up the DP/LC but not in a Yaoi way. My version of Half-ghost has a sort of internal GPS (if you're trying to think of a way this fits into something like OOC or A/N you read WAY too many fan fiction's my friend) tells him where north south east west are without really having to use the sun or whatever for reference. It won't really do much for him, but I think it would fit how Danny always knows how to get home and everything no matter where he is.**

**Also I'm sorry but I messed up on the first chapter (bad author! BAD!) I put in Harkat and I'm pretty sure he was newly formed in the CDF books. If any of you have recently read the books or are a serious fan and know whether or not Harkat is new or not, please tell me. There will be a few chapters more before Danny goes to the Cirque, but I'd like to be prepared. **

**For those reading this without any knowledge in CDF, Larten Crepsley is a Vampire. You will probably need the books to read this story, but I will do my best to explain things as I go. The Vampeneze are like Vampires but have purple skin and red eyes (if I remember that right). They are a very honorable race but are at odds with the Vampires because they believe that it is their duty to finish their "meals" to the point of death. They may sound evil to you and me, but remember that they are honorable. They would be the last people to cheat once they have given you their word on something.**

**I will explain the myth mentioned at the bottom.**

**Soooo, further up and further in to the story!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing!**

**Chapter2: The fight against the inevitable**

Larten was having a wonderful day. He and the rest of the Cirque had just arrived the previous night in America after a week of sailing across the open sea. Larten was all for trying new and dangerous things, but his belief in the ancient Vampire myths had prevented him from venturing across the ocean before. Only after several reassurances from Mr. Tall that the boat would indeed stay afloat, did he agree to go.

They had camped in a clearing by a hill with an abandoned railroad track. Or at least, he had thought it was abandoned. As he walked through the camp, helping where he could, he saw a train pass by. It would not have been noteworthy if he had not caught sight of the young, white haired teen standing in the doorway of an open car. Being a full Vampire, Larten's senses were exquisite, so he had no trouble seeing every detail about this child from so far away.

He wore a black and white jumpsuit with white trim on his boots, gloves, neckline, and around his waist. He seemed to be glowing, but this wasn't what caught Mr. Crepsley's attention. The boy's eyes, glowing red, were full of pain and longing. As if he had nothing worth living for and had lost all hope in finding anything _to_ live for. In all the years of his life, and there were many, he had never seen that look on a child before.

There was something about this boy. He could not place his finger on it, but he felt like the rest of his life hinged on this one boy. Of course, it did, but he didn't know that yet. Ignoring the feeling for now, he decided to see what he could find to drink in town.

**(It's still being weird. Line Break)**

After the train stopped outside a small town, Freakshow sent his minions out to rob the local banks. Danny thought it highly irritating that the sun had barely risen, and he was already being sent out on jobs, but he was used to it.

"If you see a bank, take what it has and bring it to me. Don't hesitate, just do it," Freakshow repeated. The halfa noticed that he liked to talk like that, like he was setting the groundwork in case any of them got free.

_I wish._ He thought.

Danny felt like he was watching through someone else's eyes as he rampaged through the town his master had assigned them with. For some reason, the crystal ball's influence made him smile and laugh as he attacked the local police. In his mind, he threw apologies to them, but they were never heard. He hated how he could feel the crystal ball slowly start to change him to the point that he almost _enjoyed _stealing.

To him, it was like Chinese water torture. You wouldn't think that a drop of water would bother you to the point of insanity. But it was the complete lack of control to do anything about it that made it torture. Danny hoped that he wouldn't go so far as to the point of insanity, or even worse, totally forget the line between right and wrong as seemed the case. But at the rate that his conscience was slowly shriveling inside him, he wasn't sure.

Danny blasted a police car, sending it skidding onto the new train tracks, upside down. He laughed at the dazed officers trying to undo their seat belts, finding the frantic way they moved amusing, and tossing the money bag back and forth in his hands. But he stopped in his tracks when he saw the huge train rumbling towards the overturned car.

"No!" he shouted, temporarily breaking free. Freakshow had always told them to never concern themselves with the humans, but something always kept Danny from ever harming them too much. And right now, that same force was telling him that these people were about to die if he didn't do anything soon.

He shot towards the car, knowing that he wouldn't be able to move it but that intangibility was his best chance. The only problem with that was that he didn't know if he was strong enough to handle the large size of the vehicle, or if he could remain in control of himself long enough to let the train pass through.

Shrugging off his pessimistic thoughts, Danny turned the car intangible just as the train was about to hit. His teeth ground together in effort, he willed himself not to pass out, all the while pushing away the pull of the crystal ball.

"How long is this train?" he shouted, but as he did, he could see the caboose speeding through. Once it was gone, Danny slid off the car to the ground away from the track, both mentally and physically exhausted. He lay there, curled in a ball; huffing and puffing from the amount of effort it had taken from him to complete that small feat.

Danny clutched at his head from the pain. The crystal ball was demanding that it be obeyed, calling to him and yelling at him to submit to its power once again. But Danny had tasted freedom, he was not about to give it up without a fight. His eyes were open and wide with fear, but deep down, he knew he was fighting a losing battle. Even from this distance, the pull of the crystal was too strong for his young mind.

"I just want to be free," he moaned to no one. His moaning quickly turned to screams as the pain continued, but they eventually died away once his fatigued mind could no longer keep up the fight. He finally rose from the ground, under the control of Freakshow once more. He grabbed the money bag he had dropped in his haste to get to the car and sped towards the train for another day on the high wire. Silently, Danny thanked that force inside him for the first taste of freedom in two years. No matter how brief it was.

**(Little random: but do you think I could actually be an author? I'm in the process of writing a book but I don't know about my writing skills. Be brutally honest but don't be a flamer…if that's possible. Line Break!)**

Larten walked leisurely through a town a few miles from where the Cirque was currently camped. Usually, he would just wait for after the Cirque to roll out of their current town before feeding, but Crepsley had waited too long. He had already begun to feel the deteriorating effects of starvation before he had left the confines of his coffin. Still, he was a cautious man and knew better than to get his meal from too close to his friends. He may not kill his victims, but who is to say no one might stumble across him while he was feeding? No, he would never risk getting caught or putting those at the Cirque in danger so he kept as far away as possible while feeding.

He had just finished feeding from an elderly woman when the screaming started. Curious, he calmly walked towards the chaos, pushing his way through the mass of panicking citizens as they ran away screaming.

"Interesting," he whispered to himself as he surveyed the scene.

The banks alarm was blaring, but there was no sign of forced entry. Larten wondered if maybe it had been a Vampire or Vampaneze, but they would not be dumb enough to try and rob a bank. What purpose would it serve? Most of them had no need for money. The Vampaneze were a little ruthless when it came to how they fed but they were an honest race, they would never resort to stealing unless it was absolutely necessary. Which, banks were not.

As he climbed the nearest building to reach the roof for a better view, chilling laughter filled the air. A white-haired teen with red eyes flew through the wall and onto the street, shooting at the four beings that floated behind him.

"Hurry up! Freakshow won't be happy if we're late." He yelled.

Freakshow? What kind of name was Freakshow? Larten was thoroughly confused, this was the same child he had seen on the train this morning, he was sure of it, but it did not look like him. This boy seemed to enjoy torturing, while the first one seemed tortured.

From where he stood, Mr. Crepsley looked into the boys eyes. No, they were the same eyes as this morning. He would never forget those eyes; full of remorse and pain. But what kind of creature were he and his companions? Larten could not think of any being that could fly and shoot green beams out of their hands.

Crepsley did not understand. His eyes said that the boy despised what he was doing, while his actions and laughter suggested he enjoyed every second of it.

The floating, green, people flew away, while the boy stayed to torment the civilians. He blasted at the few remaining people, sending them scattering like a kicked anthill.

One lone police car raced onto the scene, a little late considering most of the thieves had left and all the boy had was one bag. He laughed before shooting another green beam, this time aimed at the two policemen in the car. The blast hit and sent the car upside down onto the new train tracks.

This was not good, Larten thought, the train was coming and would soon crush the car and its passengers. He was about to try and help them, but when his eyes were drawn back to the boy, he gasped.

The boy's eyes were now glowing a cool, green and his entire demeanor changed in an instant to what his eyes had showed earlier. "No!" he shouted, streaking through the sky towards the car. His head shook from side to side as he surveyed the situation in an instant. He placed his hands hurriedly on the hood of the car and he seemed to concentrate.

As the old Vampire watched, the boy and the car seemed to become transparent just before the train made contact. Larten closed his eyes so he would not have to see the damage, but there was no crash as he had expected. Opening his eyes again, he saw a strange sight. The train was rolling along right _through_ the police car and the boy. He could still see them, but not as clearly.

With a jolt, he realized what the boy must have been: a ghost. Until now, he had never believed in ghosts. Sure, he know what the Little People were, but they did not fly or do anything that this ghost did, and thankfully so. He could not imagine the chaos that would ensue if that happened.

"How long is this train!" the boy screamed through gritted teeth. After that outburst, the end of the train passed harmlessly through the boy and car.

The boy slid off the hood and landed a few feet from the tracks. He curled into a ball, screaming from some pain and clutching his head. "I just want to be free."

None but Crepsley could see how his eyes flashed from green to red and back again. Finally, the screaming ended and the boy's eyes had returned to the bright red they had been earlier. He picked up his money bag and flew away.

What had he meant when he talked about being free? Larten did not know, but he was going to find out. Silently, he stood and walked calmly back down to the now quiet street. Taking a deep breath, he flitted after the boy. He did not know what was going on, but Larten had every intention of finding out.

**A/N: Woo hoo! I needed to put Crepsley's point of view in here so you could build up to the two meeting. I hope to have Larten save Danny in one of the next few chapters', but I don't know when. I don't even know how this will end. Mostly when I write, I wing it till the very end. So not only would I be keeping you from the story if I don't update, but I would be in suspense as well. Yeah, I'm a weird author, but hopefully a good one. I hope you enjoy it, R&R please. Let me know if their OOC. Though Danny will be a little since he's depressed and under the control of a madman. Yeah, I love torturing the poor kid.**

**Also tell me if you see any contractions with Larten, I don't know if I missed any, but I was trying to make it in character. I wouldn't want him to get his ear hairs pulled out. Ha! If you haven't read the books, you don't know what I'm talking about but you should read them. Their great and you can find them at your local library under Darren Shan. Woo hoo!**

**Should I keep it in third person, or what? Also, I need a beta. If any of you are interested, let me know please!**

**Also, check out my other story on my profile. Again, I'm trying to write this so that you don't have to read the books to understand, but maybe the movies would be a good reference point to go to.**

**The myth is the belief that if a vampire dies in moving water, his soul will be trapped forever, never moving on to 'paradise'.**

Reviews!

Ok, so I have decided that the signed reviews will only get a mention since I seem to be good at replying to them by PM so far. If I forget you, let me know, I'm really sorry.

Thank you-**hypersreak**, **Dark Link girl**, **Riqis Inna Sunja, CrossoverFan411**

**CrossoverFan411- **I looked for it, but it wasn't on your profile. Let me know when it's up!

**Wow**-I know you reviewed to the preview, but I had to say thank you. You were the first to review and I am grateful. I'm glad you like it and that is such a weird coincidence! Thanks for being here! That's interesting! I know you reviewed in my preview but I couldn't just leave you unobserved. Thank you for being the first reviewer from that. I wasn't expecting much from that post but thanks.

**Shadow**- And here you are my little minion. Thanks for sticking with my story!

**The other ghost girl**- I thought you had an account? Oh well whatever, yes, I am new to the site, but only as an author. I've been reading stuff for awhile now. (I used to be called Fan Reader in case I ever reviewed to anybody out there who might be reading this) anyway, glad you like it. I'll try to keep a Thursday schedule, but I don't know how that will go. PM me when you get a chance, I need to talk to you since you were one of the first reviewers. YOU GET A REWARD!

To all who are still here but who haven't reviewed- thank you for reading, I didn't think this story would get this many hits, seeing as it's the only one of its kind but whatever. THANK YOU! You know the anonymous is open though right? Review people!


	3. Madam Octa

**A/N: ok I need ideas. I am not an unending well, I need to be filled! Also, I noticed a lot of people have muses, who should mine be? I think Clockwork (hence the picture) but what do you think?**

**If you have something you want to see happen, the more the merrier. And if you're a nice little reader who reviews, I might even put you in here as a cirque character or something. Maybe even a new ghost! Send in a description of whom, and what you want to be. Be as specific as possible. I'll keep the suggestion line open for as long as I'm writing this story so don't worry. But this is only if you actually review, you can't just send something without a few words for improvement**

**Let us also assume that everyone in Amity Park thinks Danny, both Fenton and Phantom, is dead. So no one is going to be looking for Danny. If you've read the last, I think, three books (I can't remember which part it was in) you might be able to see what will come in later on (think about Annie and you might get a good idea).**

**But enough of my rambling!**

**Quick Summary: **I always get confused when I read too many Fanfiction's as to which one I'm reading so here it goes- Danny has been under Freakshow's control for 2 years, and has little to no memory of his life before enslavement. He has more control over his actions than the other minions and has broken free only once in that time (last chapter). We left off with Crepsley following Danny to the cirque after he and the other minions robbed a bank.

Chapter 3: Madam Octa

"Welcome one and all!" Freakshow began, "I am Freakshow, are you ready to smile and forget your troubles amid the pleasantries of the circus?"

The crowd let out a long -"boo," and Danny rolled his eyes. This was the same introduction that was given at every show. The only difference was the location. Sometimes there was a preview show that started in the entrance to the train car, but most of the time, there was only one or two shows in one city and then they would move on. You would think that after two years, the circus would have gone out of business with the same acts over and over, but the traveling circus took at least five years to go through all the towns on the eastern seaboard, not to mention the other cities further into the United States. The tracks that the train used ran all over the country, making sure that the performance was always welcomed with new eyes.

Danny kept his eyes trained on the platform he was currently waiting on, invisible, not wanting his eyes to be trapped by the crystal ball. He hated how every time he looked at it, his mind would get fuzzy and then he would black out all together, knowing that he had done something during his minds absence. It was an odd thing to be unaware of your actions for a period of time and then pop back into your own head only to find yourself in a new place and doing something you have no memory of starting. That was what it felt like to be hypnotized by the crystal ball.

The young ghost boy thought that if he kept his mind free, maybe he would be able to break free one day. He supported this theory with the fact that he broke free to save those policemen the other day. It had been almost a week since he had last lost his mind to the crystal ball, and with every day that passed, he could feel his mind slowly gaining control. Danny hoped that after a while, he would gain full control and be able to leave forever.

"Please welcome to the center ring, The Grim Reaper himself!"

With that cue, Danny stepped on to the wire, not actually balancing, but more floating over the wire to make it _look_ like he was balancing. He had always wanted to try his act using nothing but skill, but Danny knew that he had the balance of an elephant and would only hurt himself if he tried.

Once he reached the middle of the wire, he placed the scythe he had been carrying on the rope and "balanced" on it. As he held that position, parallel to the ground, the crowd cheered and whistled.

It was at this moment, that Danny took the time to survey the crowd. It was a habit he had developed to see as many of the faces as he could since this was the only time he would be able to see people without either scaring them, or hurting them. It was also a chance to search the smiling faces for any one he might recognize from his past, but as usual, he didn't. Despite that, his eyes were drawn to a man that seemed to stand out from the rest. He was wearing a long red cloak that highlighted the small crop of orange hair on his head. He was tall, standing a few inches above the heads of the teenagers surrounding him with a long scar on his left cheek that stretched from the corner of his eye to the side of his face. He was a grown man, and didn't seem like the type to hang out with the Goths, so Danny was confused. Usually, he could spot the old geezer wanna-be's who wanted to try and "fit in" but this man didn't look like that at all. He wasn't cheering, not that Danny expected everyone to, but he was just staring at him with a pensive expression. But after the two met eyes, the man turned and left.

_What kind of guy leaves during the opening act?_ Danny thought. _The tickets are thirty dollars apiece, why would he leave now?_

Danny pushed the man out of his mind, and finished his act. He flipped up onto a hanging rope with spikes he had to avoid and swung onto another platform. The crowd cheered as he floated invisibly to wait backstage with Tiny, and Sarah, as Charlie and Lydia performed.

The backstage really wasn't anything to look at, just a place for Freakshow's minions to wait for their turn to perform, but it was large enough to hold all the ghosts and the few props comfortably. As soon as he floated into a sitting position, however, Freakshow appeared with a scowl on his face.

"That other circus is stealing my business! That Mr. Tall has been a thorn in my side ever since my family first handed me the family business." He turned to Danny with malice, "you, drone, I want you to go over to that circus and steal something from one of their acts. I know you have more will than my other minions. Normally, this would be cause for concern, but you have been under my service for two years and you know the consequences if you fail me. Oh, and don't talk to anyone there. Just come back within the hour.

Danny fought to keep his surprise from his face as he nodded and flew off; leaving his Grim Reaper costume on for the disguise he had been ordered to wear.

How could Freakshow possibly know? Danny had been careful to keep his free will secret from the ghost master. How was it possible? Did he know about the incident by the railroad tracks? Danny would have been worried, if he wasn't so relieved though. Danny had received more than his fair share of beatings over the years when he didn't bring enough money or was late after a job. That was why he rushed the other minions along. For some reason, even though he was the newest member to the group, Freakshow had designated him as the leader. And the leader gets blamed for everything that goes wrong. Danny had thought that if and when Freakshow found out he had some semblance of free will, he would be punished. It was a good feeling to know that he had escaped an unwanted blow.

Danny flew invisibly over the countryside in the direction Freakshow had pointed. After a while, he approached a giant tent in the distance. With a gasp, he realized that this was the same place that he had seen on the train. It looked exactly the same, except there were no people milling around and now there was a tent pitched and ready to hold customers.

He floated down to the entrance and walked in past the really tall man he had spotted earlier on the train. He had originally though the man to be six feet tall, but now that he was standing in front of him, Danny could see that the man was easily over seven feet.

_That has to be Mr. Tall,_ Danny thought. It was unnerving how, as he walked, Mr. Tall's eyes seemed to follow him. _But that's impossible, I'm invisible_

"I would not go in there if I were you."

Danny shivered, understanding that the warning was for him but not knowing how the man knew he was there in the first place. Ignoring the man's words, Danny rushed in to the tent to scout what he was going to steal. He was surprised by the sheer size of the tent he was in. Compared to the one Freakshow used, this one was gigantic! In the center, a platform was raised a few feet off the ground, prepped and ready to hold the upcoming performers and their acts. Surrounding this stage in an ever growing circle, were foldable chairs already halfway full of spectators being offered snacks and other trinkets by short cirque workers in grey robes.

Ignoring his almost overwhelming surroundings, Danny floated up to the support beams crisscrossing across the ceiling to scout out his prize. Deeming it safe, he dropped his invisibility and waited for the show to start.

A tall, thin man wearing a red cape walked calmly up steps and onto the stage. He had pale skin and only a small bit of orange hair on the top of his head. On the left side of his cheek, his long scar, running from his lips up the side of his face, stretched as he smiled at the crowd. "Welcome ladies, gentlemen, and all those ruffians out there who managed to sneak in without a ticket."

Danny smiled at the man's attempt at humor, but then jolted at a sudden realization: this was the same man from the Circus this morning! No one could possibly have the same scar, or the same outfit for that matter, like this man, but how had he gotten here? He had only left the circus about ten minutes ago, not enough time to get from there to this Cirque unless he could fly, which Danny doubted. But if that wasn't the case, then how had he gotten here so fast?

"My name is Vur Horston and this-" he held up the cloth covered cage so everyone could see it- "is Madam Octa. She is a very rare species of tarantula that has the ability to kill a full grown man with one bite in a matter of days. There is no cure for these bites, but don't worry!"

He quickly held up his finger as if to stop the crowds murmuring with it. He quickly tore on after getting the audience to quiet down, "As long as all are quiet and calm, I will have no trouble controlling her. And besides that, she is locked safely away in this cage." With that, he yanked on the cloth to reveal…an empty cage. "Oh dear, don't panic, as I said, she is perfectly harmless if your calm."

Gasps and murmurs rippled through the crowd as they began to panic. As the crowd started to look around them, the halfa chuckled at their lack of following directions. His chuckles were cut off, however, when he felt something crawling on his back. "Please tell me that isn't what I think it is." Danny whimpered. Slowly, he turned his head in the direction he could feel the crawling coming from. He was greeted by eight beady black eyes, two horrible pinchers, eight hairy legs, and a blue and red fuzzy body about half the size of his palm. With a very manly cry of alarm, he fell several feet down onto the stage.

"Gaa-oof!" Danny managed to land on his stomach, keeping the large arachnid from getting squished under his body.

Everyone applauded at the sudden appearance of a boy, seemingly from nowhere, thinking that this was part of the act and never suspecting anything. Danny looked up at Vur Horston from under the still worn hood. The tall man looked shocked by the intrusion, but he quickly replaced that expression with a wide smile.

"Ladies and gentleman; our first volunteer! I would not move just yet, my boy, hold on a moment."

Still feeling the uncomfortable weight of Madam Octa on his back, Danny shivered._ Wasn't planning on it,_ he thought, unable to speak out loud due to Freakshow's last command.

Mr. Horston pulled out a flute from a hidden pocket and started to play a fast, cheerful tune that didn't seem to fit the dim, creepy lighting of the tent. As soon as the music started, Madam Octa scuttled off of Danny's back and up Vur Horston's leg. The orange haired man continued to play the flute, but with a lance down at the other person on stage, he gestured for the ghost boy to stand. Unsure of what else to do, Danny complied.

The man extended the hand closest to the boy, which happened to be his left, in a clear gesture to mimic his movements. The green-eyed boy held his hand out, an inch away from touching the other man's hand. Horston continued to play his flute with his right hand and Madam Octa quickly swung back and forth from the two close bodies, making an elaborate web more than six feet across.

It felt odd to Danny, to be on stage performing with someone purely on improvisation. Before each performance, Freakshow always used the Crystal ball to command them through the movements and choreograph their performances; it was nice to perform with full use of his limbs even if he really wasn't doing anything. The tarantula was guided, seemingly through the music to create a large and beautiful design made entirely of her own web. The whole thing fascinated Danny in a way nothing else had since before he lost his memory and was trapped in this nightmare. In that moment, Danny knew that it would be this tarantula that he stole, if only to keep the creature for himself. Freakshow had never said that he wanted the item that he stole, only to steal it. Oh how Danny loved to find loopholes in his commands.

"And for my final act…"

Danny was abruptly yanked out of his thought by the man's voice and also by his suddenly being spun around and wrapped up in the thick, sticky web.

"Whoa!" Danny exclaimed, completely trapped by the web from his ankles all the way to his chin. He hopped around a bit, trying to gain his balance, but he eventually fell forward on his face with a yelp of surprise.

"Thank you, and good night!" with that, Vur Horton bowed and discreetly dropped a smoke pellet.

When the smoke cleared and the stage was empty, the crowd cheered, under the impression that this was still all part of the act. They were sorely mistaken…

Danny was currently being dragged backstage, past people preparing for their acts and out the back exit of the tent. The people he saw seemed surprised to see Vur Horston dragging a boy wearing a hood, but the only one who tried to say anything was a boy around 17 or 18 that was almost six feet tall with messy blond hair with black streaks that almost reached his shoulders. He had an olive skin tone that fit perfectly with his dark brown eyes. He had pointy ears and when he smiled at the man dragging Danny, his fangs shone through his lips. But that wasn't even the most surprising thing about him, no, it was the long, twitchy, spotted, furry tail that was extending from his lower back.

"Are you getting hungry, Mr. Crepsley?" he asked jokingly, but was stopped from saying anything further when a girl came up next to him and shook her head in his direction. She wore a black shirt and dark, baggy cargo pants that looked too big on her yet fit snugly around her waist. She had straight black hair with red tips at the end that somehow seemed natural on her. Her blue eyes shone, reminding Danny of something or someone, but he couldn't place it.

"Come on, Adrik, we have to get the next act ready," she whispered to the boy, clearly nervous by the sight of Vur Horston, or Mr. Crepsley as he had just been referred to as, dragging someone across the dirt wrapped up in spider webs.

"But, Fon, I was just…"Adrik protested.

"Come on," she repeated, a little more sternly. But although she moved closer to him with her last comment, she never touched Adrik. He started to walk back the way Danny had come from, but kept his eyes trained on the ghost boy the entire time until Mr. Crepsley exited the tent.

Danny would have loved to start asking questions about the strange pair, or even protest about his current situation to try and gain some insight into why he was being kidnapped, but the halfa was still bound by Freakshow not to talk to anyone.

"Stupid crystal ball," he muttered, and his red eyes widened when he actually heard it out loud. "Guess I can talk to myself."

"And you will be answering my questions, shortly." Vur Horton said back, finally stopping inside a small tent, and turning around to the still bound boy.

"Now, who are you, and why were you spying on me?"

**A/N: oh how evil I am for not only being late, but also leaving it on an evil cliffy! Updates will be a little sporadic for a little while because for the next few chapters I will be winging it, and I still have to write chapters for my other story, Twins.**

**Oh and you can thank DarkLinkGirl and Riqis Inna Sunja for the OC's.**

**Alex: don't abandon me!**

**Me: see? He is very touchy and weird outside of his story.**

**Reviews!**

Thank you to **Riqis Inna Sunja**, crossoverFan411, jeanette9a, hypersreak, book phan44****

**Phantom97: don't panic! I'm here! I'm just in the crossover section. If your reading this let me know so I'm not worried about whether everyone got the message or not.**

**Jasmine- I'm glad you like this chapter. I'm trying my best to keep everyone in character, but Danny is the hardest. So many fics have him as an angst kid and I like that image, but it isn't him is it? Any way, he will be a little angsty since he's been controlled for 2 years but... I tried to add more description but I don't know how that worked out. The only problem is that I don't know if it looks like I just stuck a description in between the story, I don't know how I'm doing with that. Thanks for your words of encouragement. Please review so I know I didn't lose you in the switch to the Crossover section.**


	4. the offer

A/N: welcome back! I would like to introduce you all to my newly acknowledged Clockwork Muse!

CW: hello.

Me: ha! He's more talkative with you guys. In my other story, he just nodded impassively. I guess I gave him a good punishment.

_Flashback_

_Me: do you want to go with Phantom-Stelo and hear the word Yaoi every 5 seconds?_

_CW: no, no, I'm good._

_Flashback ended._

CW: (shudders) yes well, the Frootloop owns the plot and some OC's but Darklinkgirl owns Adrik and Riqqis Inna Sunja owns Fon (pronounced fawn)

Chapter 4:

"Now, who are you, and why were you spying on me?" Larten Crepsley was staring at the boy in his tent with narrowed and suspicious eyes. He had set the young halfa down against a drawer cabinet so that he could sit up without falling over, since he couldn't use his arms for balance.

Danny could only stare at him with curiosity. This man was angry at him for spying, but how did he know that the boy was spying in the first place? For all he knew, the child could be someone who snuck into the show. From his intro, it was apparently common.

Danny was interrupted from his musings when he suddenly heard a light squeak coming from somewhere above him. Looking up, he saw Mr. Crepsley opening the tarantula cage that Madam Octa was supposed to come out from. Danny hadn't seen it, but the man had replaced the spider in the cage right before he started to drag the boy across the floor.

'What are you doing?' Danny mouthed. The spider crawled out of the cage quickly and dropped onto his lap. Instantly, Danny stiffened, remembering very clearly how dangerous this spider could be, and by the hard look on Mr. Crepsley's face, he was using that to his advantage.

This had gone on far enough. The only reason Danny had stayed this long was curiosity. Though Freakshow would have them steal things every day, his life was dull. This was the most entertaining thing he had done in two years! But now, he needed to go back. His hour was almost up for sure and he had yet to steal the spider, tarantula, whatever.

Danny concentrated and turned intangible, but he didn't pass through the web. He furrowed his brow, and tried again, but nothing happened. When he looked down, his form didn't even shift into that almost transparent color it did when he used his ability. He started to panic and struggle, suddenly feeling claustrophobic in the webs, but he was still stuck and to make matters worse, Madam Octa had crawled up his body and had her fangs poised above his neck. The halfa moved his head away, no longer lost in his fascination for the creature; he didn't want to be any closer than necessary.

"Unless you want to get bitten, I suggest you answer my question." Crepsley said impatiently.

Danny looked at the man in panic. He was going to get bitten and killed just because Freakshow had ordered him not to talk! He looked around quickly for an escape, but found none since he was still bound on the floor. He lowered his eyes to his feet.

"This is ridiculous, stupid crystal ball." Danny muttered unconsciously.

"What crystal ball?" Larten was confused. This child had been seen with so many different emotions and personalities that it was unsettling. When he had first seen the boy, he had been sad and longing, then malicious and almost evil in the town, and regretful and desperate as he saved the policemen. He had even seen his eyes _change color! _Just today, Larten had seen interest, curiosity, and even happiness when the two had performed onstage. Now that they were in his tent, the child's eyes had passed through mild interest, panic, and finally settled on resigned frustration; the rollercoaster emotions of a teenager if he ever saw one. And now, his face had changed once again to mischievous rebellion.

Danny smiled, and set his eyes on a lamp. If he was going to get back to Freakshow unscathed in time, he needed to answer this man's questions. He couldn't directly speak to him, but he _could _talk to that lamp over there…

"Why hello there lamp," he started, making Larten's eyebrow raise, "I bet _your_ not part of this circus are you? Yeah, didn't think so. Well, you know I'm just here for the show, and I think it's time to leave, so if you would be as kind as to LET ME GO!"

Mr. Crepsley frowned at this indirect demand. "I do not understand why you are speaking this way, but I do know that that is not your only intent for being here."

Danny's brow furrowed, trying to think of a good excuse, but failing miserably, "hmm. That's very interesting Mr. Lamp, but that _was_ my intent. Now, I need to go, so again, could you let me go? I haven't done anything to you why do you need me here? Or at the very least, get the spider off of me!"

Larten crossed his arms, but Madam Octa retreated to the cage he had put on the floor earlier. The door was left open, sending the clear message that she could come back out if Danny didn't cooperate.

"Let us start with a simple question, then, shall we? What is your name?"

Danny thought about that, but he didn't want to give this man his real name. It just felt wrong to him to divulge one of the few pieces from his past that he had. It wasn't even a whole name, really. He knew normal people had a first _and _last name, but he had no clue as to his own. He acted on impulse, and said the first thing that came to him. Keeping his mind set on talking to the lamp, he spoke again.

"Phantom, and I'm guessing your name isn't Lamp is it?"

Larten laughed lightly, almost enjoying this odd way of speaking with the boy. But, this was serious, Larten did not know anything about this boy, and the fact that he robbed a bank did not help matters. For all he knew, he could be working with the Vampeneze.

"No, I suppose it couldn't hurt to divulge my name; Larten Crepsley," Danny frowned in confusion, but Larten noticed and continued, "Vur Horston is the name I use sometimes when I perform. It helps me…_conceal_ certain aspects of my life."

Danny raised his eyes so that they met the man's, clearly confused. He opened his mouth to speak, but only a squeak escaped his lips. He frowned and tried again, but didn't even manage a sound this time.

"What's the matter, little one? Why do you not speak to me directly? You mentioned a crystal ball earlier; does it have to do with that? You can tell me, Phantom."

Danny wanted to, he wanted to so badly. Maybe this man, even though he had practically kidnapped him, could save the trapped boy. He turned to the lamp, about to resort to his earlier technique, but was stopped as a memory of a voice invaded his mind. With a gasp, he listened to Freakshow's voice play in his head: _you will never speak of me, or this crystal ball. Ever!_ With that voice, Danny could see said ball in his mind. As he unconsciously focused on the mental image, his mind clouded. But the "connection" was weak and easily broken with a shake of Danny's head. Man, he hated when he got those weird command memories, they always made him feel dazed and gave him a headache. When he opened his eyes again, he noticed that Larten was staring at him with a strange intensity.

After his questions, Larten had been watching closely for the boy's reaction, and was shocked by what he saw. The boys eyes, "normally" (1) red, but still with a pupil, had lost that black dot and had begun to swirl so that the red consumed even the whites of his eyes. But when Danny had shaken his head and opened his eyes again, they were back to normal.

'Why are you staring at me?' Danny thought then, gasped when he felt Freakshow calling his back. His hour was up, and he hadn't taken the spider yet!

"No, no, no, no!" desperate to get back before he received a punishment, Danny thrashed and rolled, releasing ecto-energy through every part of his body in an attempt to burn away the cobwebs. He glowed with a green hue, broke free, and took to the air. With wild eyes, he quickly looked on the floor for the cage he knew was there.

He found it, still by Mr. Crepsley's feet, and was about to dash over to it, but was stopped by the man's voice.

"I can help you. I do not know what troubles you, but stay and I will do all in my power to help you."

Danny hesitated, wanting nothing more than to comply and leave the Circus Gothica and its controlling ringmaster, but he knew he couldn't. He was reminded of this by a sharp pain that ran through his mind, a second warning from Freakshow that if he didn't come back soon, there would be dire consequences.

He gasped and lost all hesitation, swooping down to Madam Octa's cage, he turned them both intangible and fled through the floor, coming out once he deemed he was a safe distance away from the Cirque. Remembering to lock the cage door, he sped towards the direction he knew the Circus to be.

Danny looked behind him as he flew, longing for the promise Mr. Crepsley offered him, but knowing deep down that he would _never_ be free.

**A/N: bit of a long authors note ahead…**

**1) I put the quotation marks since red isn't really his natural eye color, but Larten doesn't know that. Not even Danny knows, since he only remembers a little of his past, not including that his eyes are naturally blue and green respectively. Even though he knows of his halfa status, he hasn't really been able to go into human mode and doesn't know what he looks like in that form. I don't know exactly how to put that, but I'll try to insert that into Chapter 1. I won't put the quotation marks any more; I just used it as a reminder**

**So sorry for the delay, I know, I'm a horrible person for leaving it on that evil cliffy, blame my evil muse Clockwork.**

**CW: I had nothing to do with it! It is no fault of mine that Frooty can't keep a hold of her flash-drive.**

**Me: maybe not, but it is your fault for leaving me once I found it again so that I suffered from Writer's Block (thunder and lightning) where did that come from?**

**So how did I do? Good description and action? Run on sentences? Give me your thoughts! I always reply to reviews, anonymous or not (unless I accidentally skip over you, in which case let me know)**

**Ok, so be sure to remember that this is set right after the first season. This means that Danny's powers are not that strong and haven't completely developed. He is still weak and passes out quite often. I just wanted to remind you of that before you all forgot. This also means that as the story progresses, he will get stronger eventually, adding new powers to his repertoire.**

**Also, thank Riqis Inna Sunja for Betaing my stories, she is awesome for that. Love you girl! She is patient enough to forgive me for forgetting I had a beta and has helped me a lot.**

**Reviews!**

**Thanks to **jeanette9a, Riqqis inna Sunja, book phan44 Dark link Girl, hypersreak


	5. Spiders and warnings

Quick summary: Danny has taken Madam Octa to Freakshow after having a little chat with a lamp. Yeah, if you don't remember than that sounds _so_ weird.

**CW: the Frootloop owns the plot and some OC's but Darklinkgirl owns Adrik. Book Phan44 owns Erika. And Riqis Inna Sunja owns Fon (pronounced fawn). The rest is owned by Butch Hartman and Darren Shan. The idea for the torture is from Pearl84 and her evil Vladdy Muse.**

**Me: see you at the bottom!**

**Edit 10/3/11- I completly skipped over a certain scene. If your rereading this, I'll highlight the missing part but I'll put it back again in a month or so. so sorry!**

Danny loved flying. There was no doubt about that. Something about the feel of the air rushing threw his hair and the feel of his ghostly tail just made him feel empowered. Like there was nothing holding him back.

Of course, that feeling was a little dampened when he knew he was flying swiftly toward his punishment. As he received it, he tried to focus his mind on that feeling and ignoring the pain, but it was impossible.

"I gave you a simple instruction," Freakshow growled. The crystal ball in his hands glowed a menacing red as he beat unrelentingly on the young halfa's mind. "I told you to go over there, and bring a simple thing back. It wouldn't have taken longer than a few minutes! Why did you take so long?"

Danny kept silent, unable to answer as he gritted his teeth against the mental onslaught. He knew better than to try and give excuses. He had tried that once within the first month and had only received a physical beating along with his mental one being increased. He grits his teeth against the pain as he writhed on the floor.

Freakshow sighed, "Well, I suppose you did do what I asked in the end." He held up the cage where Madam Octa was crouched. After a moment, he relaxed and tried to stand, only succeeding with the help of a little flight. Freakshow held out his hand with the cage held carefully so as not to expose any of his skin to the deadly spider.

"Here, take this and get it out of my sight. I don't want to see it ever again." Danny nodded at the command, and flew back to an empty sleeping car he had commandeered for himself. He preferred to be alone rather than with the other ghosts, and this was where he went for privacy.

Grateful for the easily found loophole in his command, Danny placed the spider cage on his bed. The brightly colored tarantula was currently watching him as he crouched in front of the small space.

"At least I'm not alone anymore," he whispered. There may have been Tiny, Charlie and the others stuck in the same boat as him, but they weren't exactly conversationalists. Sarah would sometimes respond, but not often. Most of the time, the other ghosts just stared, blankly, at him.

But, Madam Octa was different. Danny could see intelligence behind those black eyes. He had talked to her on his flight back to the train and it had seemed that she was actually listening. At one point, she had even _nodded_. In fact, as he watched her, Madam Octa seemed to be telling him something. Something he understood.

"Don't worry, I'll feed you," he stood up after a small smile to look for any critters in his cabin. If he had all his memory, he would have known that spiders were _not _supposed to talk to people, but as it was, he didn't see anything wrong with it. Little did he know that it was this simple fact that he _could_ talk to the tarantula that would change his life forever. And not necessarily for the better.

(Evil little foreshadowing Line break)

Larten paced back and forth in his tent, too wound up to go to his coffin for the day. The events of a few hours ago kept playing through his mind over and over again.

"What is it about this boy?" Larten asked himself. He reviewed the short interview with him and went over every excruciating detail. "And why would anyone name their child Phantom? Such an odd name, even for a ghost."

"So says the man named Larten." A cheery voice said from behind him.

Larten spun around so quickly, the tails of his red coat fluttered in his wake. There standing by the entrance, was a small, round man wearing an odd suit with yellow rain boots. He was staring distractedly at the object in his hand: a pocket watch. And not just any watch, a heart shaped one. Like the _organ_, not the heart you see in kindergarten

"Mr. Tiny," Crepsley addressed the man curtly, "what a…_pleasant_ surprise," though the tone of his voice suggested it was anything but a pleasant visit.

"Well, I'm a bit late, so you'll have to forgive my sudden intrusion. I would have knocked, but alas there is no door," Mr. Tiny gestured toward the entry with a flippant wave of his hand. "And please, call me Des."

Larten just looked at him, knowing full well that no one ever called the portly man by his first name, and probably no one ever would. At least no one who was still breathing after.

"No? Well, anyway, let's cut right to the chase, shall we? That ghost child that was in here earlier, he took something with him, yes?"

Mr. Crepsley nodded, very wary of the man in front of him, and rightfully so. This man had stood at the side of kings, but usually to either hasten, or oversee, their demise. If Mr. Tiny was interested in something, it was hardly ever good news. He thrived on chaos, and loved to meddle with the time stream. It was a common saying among those who knew him to say "the hands of fate, keep time on a heart-shaped watch."

"Oh, goody," Des continued, "it would be wise for you to keep an eye on him. You never know what might happen in a blink of an eye!" he flashed a knowing smile and turned towards the exit. Just before he left the bewildered vampire, he turned his head to call over his shoulder, "Almost forgot, if you want to keep the boy alive, I suggest you turn him when you have the chance. You'll know when, trust me." With that, he left the tent and disappeared.

_Trust him?_ Larten thought. He would not trust Des Tiny if he could help it. Those who did, tended to have shorter life spans.

"Though, it would be foolish _not_ to listen to him." Larten pondered out loud.

Mr. Tiny may have been a meddler with a hidden agenda, but he never lied (1). If he said Phantom's life was in danger, it was.

But why would he tell the orange haired man to turn the boy? It was against Vampiric law to change children into Vampires, or Vampeneze even. Mr. Crepsley did not know the punishment the Princes (2) would give, but he did not want to find out. And another thing, why had Mr. Tiny said: "keep the boy _alive_"? As far as he could tell, Phantom was just that: a ghost. Meaning, that unfortunately the child had already died. Right?

"Mr. Crepsley?" a small voice called from the entryway.

Recognizing the voice, Larten called the girl in. "hello Erika, did you need something?"

When she walked in, Erika kept her eyes glued to the ground and she shifted from bare foot to bare foot. She looked to be around the age of 12 and had hair covering her entire body, but it was neatly combed so that it looked nice. She wore a pair of shorts, and a loose fitting T-shirt with a picture of a Care bear on it. She She looked adorable, but the fangs hanging over her lip and claws on her hands told you that she could be deadly if she wanted to be.

"I don't need anything. But Adrik and Fon were talking about you and what you did, so I just wanted to make sure you were alright."

Larten smiled, appreciating the care that this girl gave him. She had such a big heart for being abandoned as an infant and being raised by wolves. The wolves had been gentle and kind to her as she grew up, but to them, Erika should have been a full grown adult. They lacked the knowledge needed to care for a child and so, at the age of 6; Mr. Tall had brought her in and given her a home.

**"I'm fine, little one. But could you do me a favor?" The little girl nodded excitedly, jumping up and down.**

**"That's a good girl; could you tell Mr. Tall that I won't be here for tonight's performance? I will probably be gone for a while."**

**Erika nodded, and turned around to pass the message. Larten watched as she skillfully weaved around the other cirque members to her destination. He had taken to the girl the first moment he had laid eyes on her. When she was younger, he was the one that Erika would go to if she had a nightmare and needed comfort. In fact, they were so close, that it wasn't uncommon for her to call him "daddy" or some other term of endearment.**

**Honestly, he didn't mind at all. He considered the girl like the daughter he would never have. For as everyone who knew of the Vampires knew; they could not bear children. Larten didn't mind that fact though, he had never wished for children, but he was happy that he could be the father figure in someone's life.**

**Mr. Crepsley shook his head to clear it. It hardly mattered right now. Besides, he needed to get his spider back. Running out of his tent and to the outskirts of the cirque camp, he began to flit to where he had last seen the Circus Gothica.**

(If you're happy and you know it; clap your hands!)

Danny watched with a smile as Madam Octa finished devouring a centipede he'd found, happy for the first time in a long time.

"So how come you're in a cage, anyway?" Danny asked.

He listened carefully for a moment, actually understanding what the creature "said"

_Because I am deadly._ Madam Octa spoke in a matter of fact tone.

Danny nodded, "I suppose, but it's just your bite right?"

The spider actually moved her body in a nodding fashion.

"See? If I let you out, you wouldn't bit me, would you?"

_Of course not. You're nice. Better than that guy you brought me to, he kept shaking my cage._

Danny winced, "I'm sorry about that. I didn't have a choice. He ordered me to bring you back." As he spoke, he unlatched the cage and watched as the big spider crawled out.

_Why do you listen to him? He's just a bully._

"Maybe, but I don't exactly have a choice. That crystal ball he has can control me, as long as he has it; I'm nothing but his slave. Which he reminds me of every chance he gets."

_Can you run away? Larten wasn't kidding when he said he could help you. He has his ways._

"Oh, you have _no_ idea how much I wanted to stay. But you saw what happened when I was late bringing you here."

_Yeah, I did_. She started to climb up the wall and into a corner and Danny followed, keeping at eye level with her by flying. _Hey, how do you do that?_

"Do what?" He asked curiously.

_That, your floating off the floor, you're not a spider, and I don't see a web holding you up._

Danny chuckled, Madam Octa was a good person, scratch that, tarantula, to have around. He didn't feel alone, and he was actually laughing for real, not the fake and evil laugh that always escaped his lips when he was out on a job. "I'm a ghost, or at least, half ghost. I don't know exactly, that's all I really know. Anyway, ghosts can fly, so that's what I'm doing."

Madam Octa busied herself by swinging back and forth as she created a large web. _How can you be only half ghost? And if you're only half, than what's the other half?_

Danny frowned, he had never thought about that. All he could recall from the jumble in his head was that he was a halfa, nothing more. "I don't know, human I think. Is there anything else I could be half of?"

For a moment, the spider didn't react, as if she was trying to think about how much she should say. Years with Mr. Crepsley had taught her a lot. _I can't tell you, but you should try to stand up for yourself more._

Danny nodded, wishing he could take the advice.

**A/N: 1) correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe it did say that in the books**

**2) Story explanation time! The Vampire Princes are the leaders of the Vampire clan. They consist of Mika Ver Leth, Arrow, Paris Skyle, and Vancha March, who are all older than dirt. Especially Paris, since he was changed at age 2 I think and full Vampires age one year for 10. Half-Vampires age one year for 5.**

**So as you can see, I upped the spider talking thing to actual communication. Yay for me! Oh how I love this story. I enjoy every second of writing it, though some spots I get stuck in. you could help, you know. Ideas are greatly appreciated and are more than welcome. Who knows, you might just shape the plot in a huge way!**

**Also, special thank you to Riqis Inna Sunja for Beta-ing my stories, you are awesome for catching my mistakes. **

**Reviews!**

**Thanks to **Book phan44 (twice), Riqis inna Sunja, the other ghost girl, Master of Minds, Jeanette9a

No-name - thanks for the grammar fix, I took care of that. I'm glad you're able to follow this story without any knowledge in CDF. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask in a review! I'll always answer.


	6. commands

QS: Danny has stolen Madam Octa and has also had a little chat with Larten. The last chapter was short, but a lot was revealed. Danny can talk to Madam Octa, and Mr. Tiny has taken an interest in the little halfa. Larten is distrustful of his motives, but wants to help the obviously suffering boy.

**A/N: ok, I am a horrible author who needs to check over my work better. I missed an ENTIRE scene in the last chappie! I added it, but for the sake of convenience for you, I'll add it in here, too. It starts when the new girl, Erika, comes into the picture and ends at the line break for where I go back to Danny. Hopefully, you won't get confused. Sorry!**

"I'm fine, little one. But could you do me a favor?" The little girl nodded excitedly, jumping up and down.

"That's a good girl; could you tell Mr. Tall that I won't be here for tonight's performance? I will probably be gone for a while."

Erika nodded, and turned around to pass the message. Larten watched as she skillfully weaved around the other cirque members to her destination. He had taken to the girl the first moment he had laid eyes on her. When she was younger, he was the one that Erika would go to if she had a nightmare and needed comfort. In fact, they were so close, that it wasn't uncommon for her to call him "daddy" or some other term of endearment.

Honestly, he didn't mind at all. He considered the girl like the daughter he would never have. For as everyone who knew of the Vampires knew; they could not bear children. Larten didn't mind that fact though, he had never wished for children, but he was happy that he could be the father figure in someone's life.

Mr. Crepsley shook his head to clear it. It hardly mattered right now. Besides, he needed to get his spider back. Running out of his tent and to the outskirts of the cirque camp, he began to flit to where he had last seen the Circus Gothica.

**Again, so sorry! Ok, so here is the new chappie, hopes you like!**

**CW: Frooty doesn't own the Cirque du Freak or Danny Phantom. She also doesn't own Adrik (dark link girl), Fon (Riqis inna Sunja), nor Erika (book Phan44). Book Phan44 even had a say in this chapter ^.^ Pearl84 should also get credit for my method of Freakshow torturing Danny. You should go check out her stories, they are awesome! Thanks!**

"So what kind of tarantula are you?" Danny asked. Early the next morning found him lying on his bed, arms folded beneath his head and his spectral tail swishing lazily. He was staring straight up at the large web that had developed overnight in the corner.

_How should I know? That's like asking what kind of _ghost_ you are._

Danny laughed, "I guess…so…" he trailed off when he felt the faint buzzing in his head that meant Freakshow was calling for him again. He rose and said absently, "I have to go…"

_Again? That man…_ but Danny didn't hear the rest of her rant, drawn to the crystal ball by his master's command.

When he reached the main car that Freakshow had taken residence in, he was surprised to see that it was only the two of them there. Usually, Freakshow would call all of the minions to him together. The ghost teen was confused, but he didn't let Freakshow see.

The man was currently standing by the window, frowning at something he saw out there. When he felt the presence of his minion, he turned his frown as he pointed with his staff out the window. "Would you like to explain why there is a man standing out there staring at us?"

With a practiced eye, Danny followed where his master was pointing without looking at the glowing crystal at the end. Outside the window, stood a man in a red cape and orange hair, a _familiar_ man with orange hair.

"What is he doing here?" Freakshow reiterated, sounding angry.

With an open mouth, Danny rushed to the window for a closer look, invisible so he wouldn't be spotted. Larten Crepsley was standing outside, hands held behind him as he simply observed the dormant train and the other minions setting up the circus tent.

_How did he find us?_ Danny thought. They had moved overnight, as they did every night, to the next city. Granted, it wasn't that far from the old location, but it was enough of a move so that he shouldn't have been able to find them again.

Freakshow pushed the boy out of the window and onto the floor. Using his crystal ball to pinpoint Danny's location, he shoved the sphere into his face and ordered dangerously, "I want you to go down there, and kill that man. I've seen him before and he seems to know more than he should about us. Now _go_."

Having turned visible as soon as Danny lost him mind, he only nodded his expressionless face and phased out of the car.

(Line break)

Larten was not happy. It had taken him all night to reach the place he had last seen the Circus Gothica, only to find that it had moved overnight.

After another hour or two of searching, he had finally come across it again, but now he was hot, sweaty, and in great need of a bath. Beyond that, he was tired, hungry, and frustrated or having allowed the boy to escape in the first place.

He stood at the bottom of the hill, partly covered by a tree, trying to pinpoint the exact location of his beloved tarantula. He could sense her (1) in one of the cars, so he began to call to her. He was interrupted, though, when he felt a presence suddenly make itself known behind him.

Phantom was floating there, hands ablaze with green fire and eyes glowing that eerie red that consumed even the whites.

"Phantom? What are you doing out here?" Larten had expected the ghost boy to be here, but hadn't expected a confrontation. Especially since their last encounter had been an unwilling one. And why did he look so hostile? Phantoms eyes were expressionless, but the rest of him spoke volumes. And no one could mistake his intent when he suddenly raised a glowing hand, aiming it right at the vampire's chest.

Eyes widening, he had just enough time to leap to the side as an ectoblast shot past him.

"No!" phantom screamed, eyes flashing green for a moment as he collapsed. He was shaking from the effort of breaking free, but he stopped seconds later and growled at Larten.

The man didn't know what was going on, but ghost or not, he wasn't about to get hurt by a teenager. He stood quickly and calmly as the child readied a blast.

"Why do you attack me?" he asked, but was only answered by another green blast, this time aimed at his head. He flitted (2) out of the way until he came behind the aggressive teen. While he was distracted, Mr. Crepsley put him in a hold that restricted his arm movement. He expected the boy to struggle, but was surprised when Phantom only laughed maniacally and slipped through his fingers

Phantom flew high above, using the trees for cover as he created a large, deadly, green ball of fire. He tossed it to the unsuspecting man below, only to shout out again in protest.

"No!" eyes flashing to green and staying there, he flew past the energy he had just released, getting slightly burned by his proximity, but not caring at the moment. He was _not _about to let somebody die by his own hand. No matter what Freakshow commanded, he wouldn't do it.

Barely passing the energy in time, he lunged into the Vampire and pushed him out of the way. Behind him, a huge explosion was heard and the force pushed Danny and Larten up the hill and into the main train car. That's right _into_ it. Danny had tried to avoid the debris by going intangible, but the blast was too much. As soon as he passed into the car, he lost intangibility and slammed into the far wall. With a sickening thud, his head hit the wall and he dropped like a stone to the cold floor. He was left so weak and disoriented that he almost lost consciousness, going so far as letting the white rings form and split about three inches before disappearing again.

"What's this?" Freakshow asked curiously, not missing the odd semi-transformation, but when he noticed the other man in the room, he became angry. "I told you to kill him! Not bring him here!" the crystal ball glowed red, and so did Danny as his mind was assaulted. It was only for a moment, but the ringmaster didn't stop until his minion was left whimpering on the floor. "Never mind, I'll do it myself."

Up until this point, Larten had watched the fast-paced scene with confusion. Who was this man, and why was Phantom on the floor, writhing in agony? No one had touched him after his initial arrival, and that had seemed to only leave the ghost boy dazed, why was he in pain and glowing red? These questions were pushed out of his mind; however, when he noticed the odd, pale man with red eyes approach him with a knife. He readied himself for a fight.

"Hmm, you're a fighter then, eh? Perhaps once I kill you, you'd turn into a ghost. You'd make a wonderful addition to my minions." With this insane comment, he lunged towards the vampire.

"No!" Danny cried, but there was nothing he could do as the silver blade swished through the air, shining in the sunlight as it disappeared quickly as it was plunged into Larten's chest.

**A/N: 1)**** some people have a natural ability to communicate with arachnids. Not like Danny can, that's my own imagination, but in the books, Larten and two others could kind of command spider's to do their will. Not like mind control I don't think, but more like a one-way request**

**2) I don't know if that's how you spell it, but flitting is when a vampire runs really, really fast.**

**Evil Cliffie! Did you like it? Am I a good writer despite my missing an entire scene last chapter? I'm horrible, I know.**

**So how was the fight scene? I don't think I do too well on those, but it's up to you as the reader. Give me your thoughts, questions, whatever.**

**Oh, and go check out the community I'm staffing. It's managed by Master of Minds and is made up of the best of the best of Danny Phantom. It even includes some crossovers! It's awesome and you should read every one on here ^.^**

**Reviews!**

**Thanks to Master of Minds, Jeanette9a, Riqis Inna Sunja, Lord Jace, Book Phan44, cocoa85715**

**You guys are awesome but special thanks to Riqis and all those out there who help with my mistakes. Love you all!**

**one more thing, if you're reading my other story Twins, I won't be able to update this week. I don't know when I will, sorry guys. I'm sick and didn't really have that much time to work on it.**


	7. danger

QS: Danny has stolen Madam Octa and has also had a little chat with Larten. The last chapter was short, but a lot was revealed. Danny can talk to Madam Octa, and Mr. Tiny has taken an interest in the little halfa. Larten is distrustful of his motives, but wants to help the obviously suffering boy. We left off with Freakshow finding Mr. Crepsley and attacking…

**A/N: it seems I have messed up yet again. In the beginning I said that Danny knew he was a halfa, but then later I said he didn't know exactly. I'm not sure what I miswrote, I'm about to go back and look at that, but to clear things up, Danny knows that he is a halfa, but only that he is half a ghost, he doesn't know what the other half could be. I hope that cleared everything up, Thanks Bookphan44!**

**So sorry for the wait, I've been spending this time arguing with Clockwork about the order of the events that has already transpired. He says this happens, I say it doesn't, he says this happens first, I say this does, certain stuff like that. But in the end, you can't argue with the Master of Time ^.^ hope you enjoy!**

**Chapter 7: Danger**

Larten flitted off to the side quickly, only allowing the blade of the knife to penetrate about an inch into his skin; a painful wound, but not lethal.

"Hold still so I can kill you!" Freakshow exclaimed, so filled with adrenaline and rage, he didn't truly notice the inhuman speed his opponent was moving in. he lunged forward again and again, but Mr. Crepsley was still too fast for him. The taller man was always one step ahead, as if he could predict Freakshow's moves.

In truth, this was simple compared to fighting the Vampeneze (1). A fight against one of them was always long, bloody, and unpredictable. The man before him was young and clumsy, only acting on impulse. He had probably never truly wielded a blade before in his life. Proving his theory, Freakshow lost his balance and fell forward, stumbling into Phantom where he had been sitting since the fight started.

Growling, the ringmaster raised his staff to the ghost boy's eyes, "What are you waiting for? Hold him down, drone!"

Danny's eyes filled with the red hue of the orb and he quickly flew after the speeding vampire. His expression was placid again, having lost the fear and confusion of moments before.

Larten's eyes widened. _Of course!_ He glanced quickly to the now waiting Freakshow, _that _was the crystal ball the child had mention back at the Cirque. This man, Freakshow, as he recalled the eidolon saying back at the bank heist that first night, was using _mind control_s to make Phantom do his bidding.

As he dodged the red eyed ghost, he growled; not at his pursuer, but at the man pulling the strings.

Having traveled with the Cirque for many years, he had accompanied Mr. Tall as he rescued people from cruel circus masters many times, but this was unheard of. To take away a man's' will….it was inhuman to say the least.

Somewhere among the game of chase, Phantoms eyes slowly gained cognition and the whites returned, and with it, confusion.

_Not again_ he thought. He hated it when he woke up in the middle of a command. He never knew what exactly he was doing, and even worse, he couldn't stop. He watched as his body flew after Mr. Crepsley, always just out of reach.

"I grow tired of these games, minion, catch him!" Freakshow growled. The crystal ball glowed and Danny winced, fearing the pain that glow usually caused, but it never came.

_He must be calling the others_ he thought. That wasn't good, if he failed to complete the order, he would get punished again. And with his track record in the last 24 hours, Freakshow wasn't going to go easy on him.

Danny's mouth was a thin line, showing his sudden determination. He picked up speed and gathered ecto-energy in his palm: not enough to really hurt anyone, just enough to hopefully catch the fast man off guard.

Which it did, Larten never saw the green flame as it crashed into his already wounded stomach. With a grunt of pain, he fell to his backside and blinked away the stars in his eyes. He tried to sit up, but the pain shooting through his abdomen forced him to stop.

Danny quickly apprehended the vampire by pulling his arms behind him and holding him there.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, "but I have no choice."

Larten simply nodded, understanding that this powerful boy had no say in his actions beyond his apology.

Freakshow approached again, this time not hesitating in thrusting the knife forward and into the man, this time striking true into the man's abdomen. But what Freakshow didn't know, was that Danny only allowed for the knife to pass a little through, before he turned the vampire discreetly intangible.

The ringmaster smiled giddily at the pain that washed through the eyes of the bleeding man, but he had wasted enough time with this pointless struggle. It was time to move on, and move on he would.

"Get rid of the body, he'll die slowly and painfully as he deserves." Freakshow hissed, glaring daggers at Larten as he bent forward in pain. To anyone looking, it would look like he was too weakened to stand straight, but of course, it was merely an act.

Danny feared that he would get caught, so he nodded silently, and flew the limp man in his arms outside of the conductor's car. He soared across the sky, trying to find a place hidden by trees in the empty plain by the tracks.

All the while, Larten merely looked up at the boy, trying to figure him out. He had chased him around because of an order, but when Mr. Crepsley was about to get stabbed for real this time, he interfered, somehow using his abilities to make the knife pass harmlessly through him; or at least as harmlessly as he could allow without raising suspicion. It seemed to him that Phantom truly didn't want to be under that mans control; and who would? Such a cruel man like Freakshow didn't deserve to be obeyed without question or consequence. No one did.

Danny came to a landing when he found the cover he had been seeking almost a mile out. He gently set the old vampire on his feet, ignoring the bewildered face he wore and prepared to fly back to the now moving train.

"Wait," Larten whispered, forgoing his pain, he stood straight to look the phantom in the eye. Danny turned around just as he was about to take off and raised a questioning eyebrow. "I just wanted to say thank you. You fought valiantly, even though you couldn't do much and you saved my life. For that, I am grateful." He gave a formal bow.

Danny smirked and rubbed the back of his neck, "it was nothing." He rose from the ground a few inches and floated backwards as he spoke. "Just… do me a favor and don't come back ok? You've caused enough trouble." With those final words, he turned and sped away.

Larten watched him leave with wide eyes and frowned. "Now to only get my spider back…"

**A/N: 1) Vampeneze and the Vampires are at a conflict with each other. Not necessarily war yet, but not really friends either. They have a mutual agreement that if you don't mess with us, we won't mess with you.**

**Sorry it's so short, but I didn't like the way it came out the first time so I had to rewrite it. Again, so sorry**

**Oh, and go check out the community I'm staffing. It's managed by Master of Minds and is made up of the best of the best of Danny Phantom. It even includes some crossovers! It's awesome and you should read every one on there ^.^**

**Reviews!**

**Thanks to Jeanette9a, Master of Minds, Cocoa85715, Book phan44, Riqis Inna Sunja, Phyllis Joy Wolfe, Delicious Krab Kakes**

**Inuyphantom- and here it is my friend! Glad you like my story. If you have any questions, just ask and I'll do my best to answer.**

**You guys are awesome but special thanks to Riqis and all those out there who help with my mistakes. Love you all!**

**And if you come in late, I still want all you're thought on each chapter, just like Phyllis Joy Wolfe did! By the way, you should check out her story **Author's Guild: the 2008 Ego Incident **it's really good and is betaed by yours truly ^.^**


	8. so short, sorry

**A/N: so sorry guys, but this is going to be a short one. Let's just say, Teachers hate writers ^.^(not really, just loooove homework.**

"but we _must_ do something!" Larten nearly shouted as he paced in front of Mr. Tall. They were currently in the Cirque owners trailer, discussing the boy that had dropped in on the show; literally.

"I can't (1) do anything. I've told you this before." the tall man was seated so as not to loom over his friend, though even sitting down; he was a still an impressive height.

"But why not?" Larten rounded on his friend and employer angrily. "We have rescued performers from unjust ring leaders before, why not now?"

"Because, my friend. I can't tell you exactly why, but certain things _must_ happen before the boy can be free."

Larten sighed. He knew Mr. Tall's hands were tied here. Somehow, he couldn't interfere without messing up the time stream. He had never understood how Mr. Tall's actions could do that, but he never questioned it. It had been explained to him that there were certain laws that he had to follow, along with Mr. Tiny and another character he would rather not think about at the moment.

Though Mr. Tiny loved to stretch those rules as far as they would go, it didn't mean that he did not abide by them. And it was a good thing, too. According to Mr. Tall, if these rules were broken, then chaos would ensue.

"What about Madam Octa?" Mr. Crepsley said, breaking up his own thoughts, "May I rescue her?"

"_You_ may do whatever you want. _I_ can't."

"Alright, some progress. May I ask some of the Cirque performers to aid me? Some of them may be quite helpful."

"As long as you don't ask the children. _Which_ I'm not accusing you of." he had to add the last part quickly, seeing Larten about to defend himself. "Ask Lily to help you."

"Lily? The Herbalist? Why her?"

Mr. Tall gave a knowing smile, "just explain your situation to her, and she may just tip the scales in your favor. Also…take one of the Little People."

"Thank you Hiberneous," Larten smiled gratefully.

**a/n: I know its short, but I promised an update and I shall deliver! This is very rough, so don't hound me on my grammar k? Except Riqis, since she's my beta ^.^**

1)Mr. Tall does use conjunctions right? and how do you spell his first name?

Reviews- all those who signed in are thanked, but I don't have time to find you all, you will get a mention in the next chapter, promise.

starnight- glad you like it. any questions, don't hesitate to ask k?


	9. white lights and plants

QS: Larten knows there is something wrong with Danny, and is determined to free him from Freakshow. Unfortunately, the circus master isn't making it easy for him by setting his minion, Danny, to attack him. Now Freakshow thinks the old vampire is dead, but he is alive and well, plotting a rescue attempt to save Danny. I don't know about you, but I have been waiting for this for a LONG time.

**A/N: let me just apologize again for the short chapter last time, but I had been very busy with an English project and didn't have much time to write/type. I posted what I had at the time that would make sense if I cut it off. Basically, where I had the first line break. So sorry, I'm working, and I am thankfully not plagued by writers block on this (DON'T JINX IT!) but my other story I am. So if you've read that one, please give me some ideas as to where I can take it.**

**Clocky: yes, my time portal hasn't given me any insight into the future of that story, so it is unclear as to where it will go.**

**VFR: see? You know it's bad when the Time Master doesn't know what's going to happen.**

Chapter 9:

Freakshow paced the length of his train car, thinking of the nuisance that was the Cirque du Freak. One member was gone; thanks to him, but there were still more left. And more would follow after them. That circus was like an incurable disease! No matter how many times one of them died, or was killed, two more would join.

"Maybe a more apt description would be a hydra?" he said to himself. He shook his head, "why do I always talk to myself?"

It was at that moment that his newest, and most powerful, minion arrived. His expression was troubled, most likely due to the body he had just disposed of, Freakshow assumed.

"Now, would you like to explain what that white ring was? And why I could see a _human _underneath?" straight to the point, Freakshow advanced on the ghost boy.

Danny backed up against the wall, fearing what his master would do to him. Especially since he couldn't give him an answer. Danny had no _idea_ what that light was or what exactly had been under it. He had been about to lose consciousness, how could he know? Freakshow said he saw a human body, was that what his other half was? Danny didn't know, and that deep rooted instinct to keep that part of him hidden prevented him from either confirming or denying.

Freakshow got into Danny's face, making him pale even further from fear. This has not been the best two days he could've had. He's been punished _way_ more in these 48 hours then in the span of his first week!

"Don't make me beat you past the point of your usefulness, ghost."

"I-I," Danny stuttered. He scrambled to put some distance between him and his master, but what could he do? He was up against the wall and had no way of leaving. Of course, he could just _phase_ through the wall, but he had tried that before, with less than pleasant results.

"I don't know…" Danny finally managed to choke out.

He was struck across the face so hard and fast that he couldn't even have seen it coming. Danny's cheek flared with pain as the hit thrust him to the side. He could feel his right cheek heat up as his ectoplasm rose to the sensitive area.

"Don't lie, I saw you start a transformation, into what?" Freakshow hissed as he closed the distance he had caused.

Danny's eyes glittered with fear, but he still had no answer for the man.

"You don't want to tell me? Alright then, **_transform_**," he commanded loudly. Even though Freakshow was only holding the crystal ball, when he gave a direct order as forceful as this one, it couldn't be ignored.

Danny's eyes briefly flashed completely red and a bright white light encircled his waist.

**-Evil Cliffie Line Break! ^.^-**

Larten walked through the big, greenhouse-like trailer on wheels. He had decided to ask Lily to join his cause first because of her high standing in the Cirque. Though she was young, the herbalist had cured many ailments and even saved a few lives. Beyond that, she was a kind, sympathetic soul who enjoyed tending her plants.

"Lily? Are you here?" he called.

"Larten! Wonderful timing, I need some help over here, please.

Mr. Crepsley smiled; Lily was always overjoyed when she received visitors, especially rare ones like him. They may have seen each other every day around the Cirque and during meals, but to her, it was an entirely different situation for someone to come into her home.

He followed her voice, weaving through the different tables filled with colorful plants and potted trees sprinkled throughout. (Think Urban Jungle, but more exotic) the plants themselves were all the colors of the rainbow, some as common as the Sunflower, others so exotic they did not even originate from this world. Those being the "ghostly" plants, they were kept in one corner of the open area and gave off a slight glow.

Before his ever encountering Phantom, Larten had always seen Lily's tales of another world as nothing more than stories to tell the little ones around the Cirque. But now, he believed the possibility.

"Good, good, oh come here you old fart!" from behind an orange tree came a small young woman. She was just shy of 5 feet and as skinny as a pole. But that gave nothing away to her strength. Despite her thin arms, she wasn't frail. She could lift almost as much as any full grown man if she pushed herself.

Her hair was a light brown, reaching to halfway down her back even though it was tied back in a ribbon. She had a heart shaped face with almond eyes the color of fresh lilac that shone with the carefree and mischievous nature inside her.

Larten chuckled as he was tackled back a step. He returned the hug and glared lightly down at the herbalist. "You do know I am not technically that old right?"

Lily giggled, "When you're born before me; you're old. When you're not even born in the same _century_ as me? You're older than dirt, my friend. Now come over here, I need your help with a crate."

She grabbed onto the edge of his red cape and dragged him to said crate.

"Lily, I require a favor of you." he started as he picked up one end of the box and Lily took the other. She raised a suspicious eyebrow.

"What kind of favor, Larten? I didn't forget the last time those words came from you ya'know."

The vampire blushed, but he forged on. He explained the situation and the plan that had formed in his mind. He gave her as much detail as possible, knowing the more intricate they were, the better the herbalist would be able to help. He finished his tale, and once they had moved the crate, they sat on top of it to discuss Larten's plan.

"Hmm. It certainly is a sad story…I'll help you." she stood up quickly, a determined fire burning in her eyes. She ran over to the ghostly plant corner and started to pick leaves and roots from them, muttering to herself.

"I don't understand though, what are plants going to do to help our cause?"

Lily just stared at him disbelievingly, "You mean you came to me for help and you didn't even think I could? For shame, Larten, shame." she paused in her work to extend a finger towards the man and rub her other finger against it, like she was personally wiping shame from her, to him. "Why don't you go and… I don't know, get the supplies or something. There must be something you could do, now shoo!"

Larten chuckled as he was pushed out the door, "only Lily…"

**A/N: thanks for all the support, guys. I love you all! Oh, and go check out the poll on my profile. Whoever wins determines the rate of updating on my stories, got it?**

**Reviews**

**Thanks to Satrinity, Jeanette9a, hypersreak, nicuvino, hypersreak, Phyllis joy Wolfe, Book Phan44, cocoa85715, Riqis inna Sunja, seantriana, Phyllis joy wolfe, Riqis Inna Sunja, Book Phan44, seantriana, cocoa85715, Miss Captain-Mad Dog Vane, Jeanette9a, Master of Minds.**

**The list is extra long, cuz it contains the doubles from both chapter 7&8.**

**Night of the Phantom:** I totally agree with your statement. Glad you love my writing, any questions, let me know K?

**Starnight:** I'm glad you found it then! I was looking for one, myself so I thought "hey, I should write one!" and I did! Tee hee^.^

And for the 50th reviewer! a special treat!

Seantriana: thank you thank you, it's great to be here!

VFR: ok, so I told her I'd give her a present when I posted the chapter, so…here *gives her a box*

seantriana: for me? What could it possibly be? *rips open box to find a small adorable green puppy* yay! Its Cujo! Woo hoo!

VFR: there you go! And remember folks, every 50 reviews, that person gets a prize. Meaning at 100, 150, 200, ok, I'm getting carried away, there is NO WAY I'm getting that high. Anyway, ta for now! oh, I've been reading to many fics with Vlad in it…


	10. plans and revenge

QS: Larten is still planning the escape, but we left Danny off in a HORRIBLE situation. His secret is in jeopardy people!

**A/N: join me here for yet another chapter! Woo hoo! Clocky is getting excited with the approaching action, but I'm not sure why, he already knows what happens even if I don't. ^.^**

**I forgot to put it last chapter, but Lily belongs to me, she's an OC I came up with, not a book character. **

**If you can remember the name of the two contortionist twins in the books though, that would help a lot **

Chapter 10

The white light appeared as a halo that encircled Danny's waist and split, revealing blue jeans and a white T-shirt with a red oval in the center.

"What? You're that kid from opening act. Danny Fenton is Inviso-Bill?"

Danny jolted, was that his name? Well, he didn't think the "Inviso-bill" part was right, but…

"How-how do you know my name?"

Freakshow snorted, "How could I forget? You shouted it along with…" he dwindled off to peer at his minions face, "you don't remember, do you?"

Danny stared down at his body in shock. This wasn't his body. His body was light, never held down by gravity unless he willed it to be. His body was versatile and able to bend into shapes that this one couldn't. Where was his spectral tail? He could usually feel its potential to form like a tingle beneath his skin: ready and eager to form. It was still there, but not as prominent. But, the most important clue that this was _definitely _not his body; his body didn't hurt.

The ghost boy curled in on himself as his abdomen screamed profanities to him. He racked his brain to try and identify what was causing this foreign pain, and two words popped up: FEED ME!

Freakshow frowned, but hearing a loud grumble come from the boy's stomach, he understood. He looked around and grabbed a half-eaten sandwich he had been munching on before thins whole mess started. He offered it to his moaning minion, but the boy just stared at it in confusion.

Danny had never received anything from his master, ever. And on top of that, was an unsettling feeling he knew oh so well: he knew what the object was, he just couldn't recall from where, or what to do with it. This happened often when he went out on his raids, but never really while on the train. He had always considered it his safe haven from such troubling feelings, but the feeling was back and he didn't know what to do now.

"Eat it, drone. It'll stop your whining." Freakshow may have treated these ghosts as his property, but he wouldn't purposely kill them. And this boy seemed to be very close to starving to death. His cheeks were as pale, if not more so, as his ghostly face. His cheeks were sunken in and his stomach had the odd shape of starving children. He couldn't allow this to kill his minion, not when this new discovery could prove useful to him. While the ghost boy hesitantly began to devour the sandwich, Freakshow began plotting his options.

On one hand, Freakshow could kill the human body; creating a full ghost and a fully mindless minion. But that wouldn't really be taking advantage of this newfound resource. As a human, this boy, his minion, could infiltrate all the places he couldn't before. People would be surprised at the amount of buildings these days with anti-ghost defenses. And _as_ a human, the boy could also infiltrate the Cirque du Freak. He turned his attention to his minion, who was contentedly licking his fingers after finishing the sandwich in record time, taking away the worst of his aches from his stomach. Freakshow tightened his grip on his staff and pushed it into the child's distracted gaze, instantly changing them to a blood red and freezing his movements.

"You, my minion, will betray the Cirque for me and bring it to its knees some day. Transform back, I have much to plan. Go… I don't care, just go." Freakshow waved his hand and Danny floated to his private car after transforming again.

_What happened? Where'd you go for so long?_ Madam Octa was pacing across her web in worry.

Danny didn't respond though, his mind gone from the crystal ball.

_Ok, that's it,_ Madam Octa slid down to the floor and climbed to the window, _I'm going to give that Freakshow, such a fitting name too, a piece of my mind!_

She easily slipped out of the stationary train car and began her fast trek to the main car, grumbling under her breath. She slipped into the main car and watched for a moment as the circus master paced, also grumbling to himself. She couldn't catch all of it, but Madam Octa did catch bits and pieces of how Danny would be used.

_Alright, that's it._ Madam Octa rushed forward in a blur to the unsuspecting man and did what many had been hoping she would do: she bit him.

Freakshow collapsed in sudden agony and slowly lost consciousness, barely aware of the eight eyes boring into his. And as he looked into those eyes, he could have sworn he saw a cold satisfaction in them.

**A/N: thanks for all the support, guys. I love you all! Oh, and go check out the poll on my profile. Whoever wins determines the rate of updating on my stories, got it?**

**I'm sorry, this is short, but it did have what all of you wanted right? I'm sorry, I'm pressed for time lately. ****and, I'm afraid I have some bad news. I'm not going to be able to update next week because I won't have access to a computer while I'm on break and so…yeah, ya'll hate me I know. See you in two weeks!**

**Oh, and HunterNite started a club! Check out his profile for more details, but we are on a mission to make more fics than Avatar! It's a great show, but come on! Everyone knows DP is the best!**

**Reviews**

**Thanks to Corrie CrossBearer, Jeanette9a, Phyllis Joy Wolfe, Venas, Cocoa85715, book phan44, Pichicha123, Just another Random, Seantriana.**

**Ya'll are all the best for reviewing!**

**And a special thanks to Riqis Inna Sunja for betaing. Don't blame her for my mistakes, though, I fix them AFTER I post cuz I have no time before to send the document, my fault, not hers. ^.^**


	11. last request

QS: Larten is coordinating a rescue scheme, but his spider may be well ahead of him in this respect. Freakshow is currently out of commission due to a certain spider biting him (happy dance). Danny is in his train car and that pretty much brings us up to date.

**A/N: The results of my poll are in! For those who voted, thank you very much. This story will now only be updated every other week, hopefully surmising to better quality and longer chapters. That's my goal anyway. The next installment will be posted next week though, ok? This chapter is just to whet your appetite and leave you hungry for more ok? For those of you reading my story Twins, that story has also been updated this week, but won't see another update till two weeks from 12/1/11**.

Cw: we don't own anything

VFR: yeah, unfortunately

Chapter 11:

The formerly stationary train raced along the tracks with surprising speed, never paying heed to any limitations the quick turns made. When Freakshow had fallen, he had landed on the controls and consequently set the train in motion. Unfortunately, when he fell, he still held onto his staff and it was unharmed (boo!). This situation was made even worse when after he lost consciousness for a few moments, he returned for a fleeting moment. This moment only lasted about half a minute, but it was enough for him to do what he needed. He clutched onto his staff and whispered the words that would mobilize his minions.

"Attack that blasted spider…don't let her live…avenge…me…"with those final words of power, Freakshow fell unconscious for the second and final time. For now.

-Line break-

When he awoke from his blank state of mind, Danny's head throbbed and pulsed, like someone had taken a swing and whacked him on the head. Hard. He looked around to find an empty train car and a speeding train, judging by the speed the landscape was moving in the window.

_That's odd,_ he thought, _Freakshow never lets the train go this fast._ He walked over and looked out the window again, just in time to catch Madam Octa crawling in, clinging to a string of her web.

"What just happened?" Danny asked the arachnid, "Where'd you go?" Madam Octa had never left the car since she had arrived, and beyond that, Danny could pick up a faint hint of guilt rolling off of her.

_I shouldn't have done that…_ she murmured

"Done what?" Danny asked, growing exasperated. Nothing ever made sense after Freakshow took possession of his mind, and it had always frustrated him that he didn't know which way was up afterwards. Now he had someone to talk to and explain things to him and she was currently refusing to talk to him.

"Come on, Maddie," Danny pleaded. He had begun to call the spider this nickname in his head, feeling an odd sense of comfort from the name, now was the first time he had used it out loud. "Please don't leave me hanging here."

The tarantula hesitated a moment, but her anxiety was getting to her and she needed to share it with someone. Besides, one look at Danny's puppy dog eyes and she just couldn't say no.

_I … I did something bad…I kinda sorta… bit your master…_

"You…what?" the color drained from his face, as the headache he had when he first awoke returned full force. That's what it was, he thought, a new command… He could feel the words of the command burning in the back of his mind, compelling him to follow. Normally, this would have sent him immediately into the red haze of the crystal ball, but because the master of it had fallen unconscious, he didn't have as much power as before.

But this didn't mean Danny was free, no, it simply meant that it was _slightly _easier to resist the mind control.

**A/N: I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts… :D ya'll hate me right now don't you? **

**ok, so we have just a few more reviews before I get to 100, think you guys could help me reach my goal? *puppy dog eyes* pretty please with the black licorice sprinkles and the black frosting you like with the little gummy bats on top?**

**I would like to know what you guys think of my little quick summaries that I always put at the top. Do they help you at all? Or am I wasting my time. As long as at least one person tells me it helps, I'll continue doing it okay?**

**Reviews**

**Thanks to Jeanette9a, Venas, Seantriana, Phyllis Joy Wolfe, cocoa85715, the other ghost girl, book phan44, hypersreak, Riqis Inna Sunja, Kitsunelover300**

**Nyk- I am totally with you on the spider! She should be given a prize or something huh? Thank you for reviewing! It means the world to me**

**I absolutly adore when new people review, please do! I love you all!**

**And a special thanks to Riqis Inna Sunja for betaing. **


	12. trains

QS: Larten is coordinating a rescue scheme, but his spider may be well ahead of him in this respect. Freakshow is currently out of commission due to a certain spider biting him. But, for a fleeting moment of consciousness, he gave out one last command before the toxins took over. _"Attack that blasted spider…don't let her live…avenge…me…"_ it's getting a little interesting huh? So now Danny has to fight off the power of the crystal ball and…well, you'll see won't you?

**A/N: I'm here, sorry for the delay but i didn't save the right thing onto docx...silly me! if you've already reviewed, is there anyway you could still pm me or review anonymously? pwetty pwease? **

**I worked really hard over the weekend, forgoing my physics, English, and history homework just for you guys. I hope you're happy with this chapter!**

**I have also added the review answers to the last chapter so if you were the anonymous reviewer, go check it out k?**

**Cw: The plant that Lily is about to use is owned by Kellie Fay and her awesome stories**

**VFR: yeah…see Phyllis? If you needed anymore proof that Clocky here is different from Clockwork, I think his use of the word 'awesome' gives it to you ^.^ **

**CW: I wasn't finished you know…anyway here's a list of who owns who**

**Adrik Makani - Dark Link Girl**

**Fon Sunja - Riqis Inna Sunja**

**Erika Phabin - Book phan44**

**Naomi Cocoa (hasn't appeared yet)- Cocoa85715**

**Lily- Frooty!**

**Alias Alibi (hasn't appeared yet) - Frooty's friend who chooses to go by this name as well.**

**VFR: as you can see, I've given them last names that have something to do with their owners' penname unless already given. If you don't like yours, I can change it. Entries for OC's are always open, so don't be afraid to pm me or something with an OC you want. It can be a Cirque member, a ghost, or some random person out in the crowd during a performance.**

**By the way, everyone else? Go check out her stories! They are epiawesome and deserve your praise. Just go to Phyllis Joy Wolfe's profile to see her wonderful stories.**

**I'll stop babbling now…**

Chapter 12:

Larten stood by the empty train tracks that he had last seen Freakshow and his circus train, accompanied by 2 other cirque members: Lily, and another called Alias Alibi.

Alias was an 18 year old boy of about 5'9". He had eyes of a bright, luminescent violet that sparkled with the anticipation of battle. He had slightly long brown hair that almost reached his eyes. Alias' clothes were always black silk, close fitting except around his arms and legs so as to allow freedom of movement.

Alibi was an acrobat, but his real passion was fighting. He always loved the thrill, the exhilaration, of pure unobstructed combat. Although, he was always disappointed when he discovered his opponent to be far less capable in a fight, he still craved the challenge. In fact, the only people who had ever presented an actual challenge were the vampires and Vampeneze. Now _those_ were fighters.

Today, however, he hoped that this ghost would prove worthy of his skills. Alias fingered the pendant around his neck, a crescent moon with an amethyst stone in the center, in anticipation. Larten had given him full details of what they were up against , telling of the great power Phantom had displayed in their brief battle. Oh yes, this was very promising.

"I don't see why we had to bring him along; I could have handled the boy just fine." Lily said. She was wearing her usual attire of a soft formfitting t-shirt with loose blue jeans, but she was clutching a small pot holding a slightly luminescent. It was a tropical plant with wide broad emerald leaves and snow white flowers that were almost lily-like. It was one of her favorites, considering her name.

"With a plant?" Alias asked in a calm, sarcastic manor.

"Actually yes, as a matter of fact," Lily stuck her tongue out at the boy, earning her an eye roll.

"We will need _both_ of your skills today." Larten said. He looked to the left where the tracks led off in a winding path and pointed in that direction, "the train went that way. Or at least, that is the direction in which it was faced when I saw it last. I doubt they have the means to turn an entire train around."

Actually, Freakshow _did_ have the means, but he didn't know that.

"And how are we supposed to catch a speeding train?" Lily asked skeptically, "I know you can flit and all, but you can't possibly carry us both can you?"

"I could, but not flitting, no." Larten scratched his left cheek where his scar was.

"I can run just as fast as you, Mr. Crepsley. Don't worry about me." Alias shrugged, shuffling his feet nervously.

Not a lot was known about alias, especially his powers, so it was not uncommon for him to spring something new on those around him. He was very secretive, and didn't like people knowing the extent of his power. He didn't want the few people he knew to shun or fear him.

"And I shall carry you, if you would allow me the honor," Larten extended his hand to Lily with a slight bow, a sly smile playing on his lips. Lily glared lightly at him, but agreed it was the only way to reach the boy. The longer she stayed out here debating the mode of transportation was longer that the child would be suffering under a controlling freak. Which, coming from a member of a _freak_ show, was saying a lot. With a sigh, she clambered onto Mr. Crepsley's back and wrapped her arms and legs around him.

"Don't you dare try anything cute," Lily warned.

"I wouldn't dream of it," Larten adjusted his hold on her, gave a nod to Alibi, and started to run, gathering speed until he could flit with the 18-year-old following close after.

The time had come for the brutality of the Circus Gothica to end.

-Line Break Time!-

Danny was not having a fun time right now. His head was pounding with the effort to not destroy his friend, Madam Octa, and it was becoming a struggle to not give in.

You would think that with the one who gave the order currently out of commission, all commands would be null and void, but that wasn't the case. Any pre-existing command given before the point of unconsciousness and/or death was valid until the command was fulfilled, or the time limit ran out. The time was a sort of fail-safe the creators of the crystal ball made in the event the holder perished after giving an ill-worded order. It had happened before that the holder had gone insane and ordered the death and destruction of the entire human race, forgetting that he himself was included in that statement. The creators weren't a cruel people, so they designed the crystal to forgo all commands after 24 hours unless specifically stated otherwise. It was a long limit, but to them it was sufficient.

However, at the moment, Danny was well before those 24 hours were up and he had additional problems on his hands. Four to be exact. Their minds being slightly linked through the crystal ball, as soon as Danny found out who "the spider" in the order was, Lydia, Sarah, Charlie, and Tiny had all flocked to his private car.

Thankfully for the half ghost, none of his fellow minions could create ecto-blasts like him, but that did _not _mean they couldn't fight. Sarah and Charlie were doing their best to restrain him while Tiny aimed his punches at him. Lydia seemed to be in charge of the actual destruction of the spider. She had sent her ghostly tattoos to swarm Madam Octa, who was currently cowering in the corner. Danny did his best to send his ecto blasts to get rid of the little pests, but he was weakening fast. Danny, as far as he could remember, had never used his powers without the influence of the crystal ball. It had always strengthened his powers when blasting the cop cars, but now they were weak, as if his powers were suppressed on top of being a little out of practice.

In truth, it was another fail-safe the creators had installed to prevent the mentally strong ghosts from gaining enough free will to blast their masters into oblivion.

Danny was bruised, battered, and he was pretty sure a broken rib was poking at his lung, threatening to puncture the soft flesh inside him. The train wound around the sharp turns, barely managing to stay on the tracks despite its slight rocking back and forth. Danny was about to give in, his resolve weakening, when a hitch in the tracks caused the train to tip over and crash, throwing the ghosts and spider inside around the small space.

Danny hit his head on a wall and somehow managed to grab Madam Octa to protect her from the harsh impact that would surely crush her. The train rolled once again before flinging Danny out the closed window, still somehow protecting Madam Octa.

He landed on his side and moaned.

_Danny? Danny their coming! _Madam Octa sounded panicked. The other ghosts still had their strength, so they had merely turned intangible to escape the twisting train. Now they were advancing slowly on the ground toward the ghost boy and spider.

Danny opened his eyes and tried to let gravity fall away to allow him to defend himself, but he was too weak. He was as tethered to the earth as he had been in that other body. He tried to stand by pushing up on his arms, but he only succeeded in making himself cry out in pain. He looked down in panic to find his legs badly cut up with glass sticking into his green-soaked jumpsuit. He couldn't move his legs without pain shooting up his spine.

Danny settled for simply dragging himself away from the oncoming threat, but was startled when Sarah suddenly giggled.

_What was that? _Madam Octa asked, still sounding worried, but now more confused.

Danny was about to answer, when another giggle escaped, this time from Lydia. The giggles spread quickly through the four ghosts until they were all lazily laying on the ground.

Danny wasn't doing much better, his mind felt foggy and hazy; he had to fight just to remember he was in danger. There was a sickly sweet scent in the air that seemed oddly alluring, but he was afraid of it. Something about the way it made him feel, without a care and trouble-free, put him on edge. He had never felt that feeling before, so it scared him.

"I told you I could handle him," a female voice said, sounding triumphant, "I didn't know there would be other ghosts here, but I still got them."

Danny looked up, eyes unfocused, to find three figures walking calmly toward him. His mind was too far gone to recognize Mr. Crepsley, so he could only see a threat. He slid away slowly with a whimper, trying to get away while still clutching Madam Octa. He was in danger and he couldn't get away.

**A/N: *****sigh* its shorter than I originaly planned, but that's what happens when you mess up. ****I would like to know what you guys think of my little quick summaries that I always put at the top. Do they help you at all? Or am I wasting my time. As long as at least one person tells me it helps, I'll continue doing it okay? **

**Reviews**

**Thanks to A-Listers, Seantriana, Riqis Inna Sunja, Cocoa85715, Book Phan44, Venas, Phyllis Joy Wolfe, Jeanette9a, Kitsunelover300**

**I absolutely adore when new people review, please do! I love you all!**

**And a special thanks to Riqis Inna Sunja for betaing. **


	13. of pain and flowers

QS: Danny is in danger! Or at least that's what he believes. We last left off with Danny not only fighting against the other minions for Madam Octa's life, but also against the crystal ball not to join in. poor guy, can't catch a break can he? But have no fear! Larten, Alias, and Lily are here to help!

**A/N: seeing as the break is next week and that means I probably won't be able to update unless I go to my dad's house for extra time, I'm posting another little teaser. I'm planning on doing this every break, so no worries. Except during the summer break. THEN you should be worried.**

**Cw: we don't own anything except Lily. All other characters are owned by you or the dp and cdf authors.**

**VFR: why do you always have to stick that in there? Honestly, it's a deppresing thought.**

**Cw: it's my job**

**VFR: right…**

Chapter 13: of flowers and pain

Danny looked up, eyes slightly unfocused, to find three figures walking calmly toward him. His mind was too far gone to recognize Mr. Crepsley, so he could only see a threat. He slid away slowly with a whimper, trying to get away while still clutching Madam Octa.

One of the figures walked forward, holding an item in their hands outstretched toward Danny. The scent was getting stronger, making it harder and harder to think. He was starting to forget why he needed to be cautious. A lazy smile slowly spread over his lips as the effects of the flower took over.

"There now, little one. You're alright now." She smiled as the ghost boy reached for the plant, and she allowed him to grab it.

"What did you do to them? What is that thing?" Alias asked, he never lost his calm demeanor, but it was plain to see that he was confused by the odd behavior of the ghosts around him.

Lily watched as Phantom forgot entirely about everything around him and clung to the pot, taking deep breaths of the flowers scent and giggling slightly.

"It's called the Bikona Suku, but I like to call it Ghost Nip." With a chuckle, she gestured to the lazy ghosts giggling and laughing around her, "You can see why I –HEY!"

Suddenly, she lunged at Danny and yanked away the pot while his eyes were closed in pure bliss. When his eyes opened a few seconds later, he let out an indignant "Give me!" sounding like a toddler.

Larten raised an eyebrow, questioning the girl silently.

"He just ate a petal! Do you know how _rare_ this plant is? There's only about four hundred in the _world_ and this nut is sitting there _eating the petals_. Do you know what that means?"

Larten and Alias shook their heads, confused even more by Lily's outburst.

"Well…I don't know either, but it's not good for the plant! And…" she trailed off when she felt something cling onto her legs. She looked down to see the ghost boy using her feet as a pillow with his arms around her legs like a teddy bear. She could hear faint snoring coming from the boy, with a small smile on his lips. "You know, he's kind of cute. I thought you said he was dangerous?"

Larten stared wide-eyed at the slumbering ghost child. "He was…"

"Well, he's not now," Alias said sarcastically, sounding slightly disappointed that he didn't get a fight.

Lily laughed lightly and bent down to stroke the soft, white, hair, causing Phantom's smile to spread even wider. "Are you going to help me, or am I just going to have to stand here forever with a high ghost clinging to my leg?"

Larten chuckled and leaned down to examine the boy. He was badly wounded; he would probably bleed to death if he did not receive medical attention soon. But it shouldn't have mattered because he was a ghost, therefore already dead, therefore not able to die again.

Oh how wrong he was. At that moment, the Bikona petals and Phantom's general exhaustion caught up with him, making the bright white rings appear around his waist and transforming the glowing boy into that of a raven haired teenager…

"Vivomorto," Alias murmured. He started when he noticed that Lily and Larten were looking at him for an explanation since he clearly was the only one who understood what was going on. "It means he walks the path of both the dead and the living, taking both forms. This must be his human form."

ok, _now_ they needed immediate medical attention.

But they were miles away from any sort of hospital and Lily didn't have any herbal remedies that would work fast enough. Even if she did, when Larten moved to pick the boy up, his smile was replaced with a wince and a hiss of pain escaped his lips.

"He's hurt…" Lily noted. "Is there any way you can help him?"

Larten frowned_. 'If you want to keep the boy alive, I suggest you turn him when you have the chance'_ those were Mr. Tiny's words. Could this be the time he had meant? Of course it was. Larten frowned, not wanting to change the boy without his consent, but it was clearly the only option at the moment. The blood of the vampires sped ones healing abilities and right now, that was what Phantom needed.

With a resigned sigh, he slit the boy's fingertips with his sharp nails and did the same to his own, ignoring the whimpers coming from the boy for now. With a deep breath to steady himself, Larten placed his fingertips to the boys own, allowing their blood to pass freely between them.

"What are you doing?" Lily exclaimed. She had spent enough time around Larten and his occasional vampire friend to know what he was doing, and she also knew that there was a definite law about changing a child. And without consent no less!

Larten ignored her for now, focusing on Phantom. He had to watch his reaction to be sure that he didn't accidentally turn the child into a full vampire. He didn't want that, a half-vampire change would be enough to save the boy.

Phantom's eyebrows furrowed. He could feel…something being pushed into his veins from his fingers. He didn't know what it was, but it felt odd to him how he could actually _track_ where that something went inside him. It raced up his arm on his left side, and his own blood seemed to be pushed out his right side. It was an odd feeling to say the least, he had just been dreaming peacefully before being rudely taken out of his dream by pain. Pain in his legs, pain in his muscles, pain in his fingertips, and pain…in his heart!

Oh gosh that hurt! Why did it hurt? What was wrong with him? Had Freakshow found a new way to torture him? Had he ordered Phantom's heart to stop?

The boy screamed out loud, signaling the end of the transfer, and Larten removed his hands. He licked his fingers and did the same to the boys still bleeding fingertips (1), watching as the wounds closed quickly.

It was done, Phantom was now Half Vampire.

**A/N: 1) the Vampires and Vampeneze both have healing spit. I know, it's gross, but that's Shan for ya.**

**So here today, we have our 100th reviewer! Everybody congratuale BookPhan44! Woo hoo!**

**BP: hi!**

**VFR: so what would you like today?**

**BP: a faster update! **

**VFR: so you have wished it…it's already been done! oh and here's a soda too!**

**BP: yaaaay!**

**Reviews**

**Thanks to all who told me about the messed up chapters! That's really the only way I'll know, but it would be greatly appreciated if you review in another way: pm's anonymous… I just want feedback people.**

**Thanks to Venas, DanPhantomsApprentice, jeanette9a, hypersreak, cocoa85715, Zii Raevyn, Book Phan44, MiniSoulReaper, Riqis Inna Sunja, Corrie Crossbearer**

**RHK- thanks, I really wish I hadn't done that… -.-**

**k- I'm sorry!**

**Darkkami-I'm really sorry, it was the chapter from my other story…yeah, I'm an idiot ^.^**

**And a special thanks to Riqis Inna Sunja for betaing. **


	14. The Cirque

QS: so the moment you all have been waiting for has finally arrived! Danny is out of Freakshow's control, but does that mean he's out of the fire? Of course not! Wouldn't be a very interesting fic if he was would it? But I will give him a bit of a break, small as it is, once things settle down a bit.

**A/N: I have some horrible news! Some of you already know, but my mom has put a password on all the computers! I'm still going to write and update, but it won't be on Thursdays anymore; more info on my profile if you're curious. Sorry guys! I really am!**

**On a lighter note, this chapter will be a little OC centered so I can get a feel for them and introduce most of everyone to you ok? Some won't be here but they will be soon.**

**Chapter 14:**

Adrik Makani was currently in a tree, just dozing around. Larten, Lily and Alias had all gone out that morning on some sort of…well, he didn't know exactly, but it didn't bother him. He was an easy going kind of guy who wasn't known for snooping, despite his feline tendencies. He may have a tail, cheetah spots along his spine, claws, and fangs, but he didn't have that burning curiosity that cats were known for. At least no more than any other boy his age, which was around 17. Like most in the Cirque, he wasn't entirely sure of his age, but he had picked the day he came here as his date of birth.

He closed his dark brown eyes as his blond hair with black streaks blew in the soft breeze. This was perfect weather for Adrik. Light clouds floating by, tree limbs sway softly, wind caressing his face, quiet giggles reaching his short pointed ears…

Wait, that wasn't supposed to be there! Quick as lightning, he sat up, only to be hit square in the face with a water balloon.

Adrik spluttered with the water that had gone into his mouth and glared in the general direction he had heard the snickering, now full blown laughter, from earlier.

"Seriously guys? You know I hate water!" Ok, so he still kept _most_ feline tendencies, but that's what happens when your born with DNA from a leopard (how that happened, he would never know). The laughter finally showed their origin when Erika, Naomi, and Fon stepped out of their hiding places. "No duh, Sherlock!" Fon laughed, "Why else would we do it?"

Adrik sighed, trying to smooth down his hair that had shot up in his panic. He was used to the pranks, yes, but that didn't mean he liked them. "You guys are awful. See if I get your kites out of the trees next time!" he called down the last part extra loud to be sure they heard him.

Fon just rolled her eyes, "so are you going to come down or am I going to have to burn down the tree?" As if to make her point, she snapped her fingers and a small flame erupted to life on her pointer finger.

"Oo!" Naomi cried. The pyromaniac was by Fon's side in an instant, reaching her fingers out to the bright flame before Fon snatched it away. She smiled evilly, "come on Adrik! You know once Naomi gets a hold of it there's no stopping her."

Adrik rolled his eyes and nimbly jumped from the high tree limb onto the soft turf in a crouch, "you're very mean to me, you know that?" his tail swished behind him in agitation, but Fon took no notice of it

"Yeah, but you make it too much fun to stop!" she laughed and Naomi ruffled the boys hair, ignoring his indignant cry.

"Oh come on Addie!" Erika said with a cute smile, "you have fun too don't you?"

Adrik's frown turned into a genuine smile at the small girl's question. Despite their genetic differences, the wolf-girl and leopard boy got along like two peas in a pod. He reached down and picked her up, making her appear to be flying. She giggled in delight until he brought her into a tight hug. "I can't stay mad at you." He cooed, but when the 7 year olds head was tucked away so that his face couldn't be seen, he mouthed "I'll get you later!" to Fon and Naomi. Fon may not have been the one to throw the balloon, but there was no doubt in his mind that she was the mastermind behind Adrik's attack. And as the one who threw the balloon, Naomi would feel his wrath as well. Years of getting pranked by his friends had led him to discover pranks for him to use as well. By dawn tomorrow, all would know better than to mess with Adrik Makani! He spun around in a circle with Erika squeal in delight in his arms to hide the devious little smirk that was playing on his lips.

"What are you guys doing way out there?" a man by the name of Sigmund Pendarius Machiavelli Robertson Smith, that everyone simply called Pendar, called from his tent "ya'll aren't messing with Adrik again are you?" his voice was deep and almost threatening, but the kids knew that he had a kind heart and was more playing but the kids knew that he had a kind heart and was more playing with them then anything.

"Noooooo," they all sang, although Adrik himself shouted out an accusing, "Yes!"

Pendar smiled. He was a tall man of about 5'3, and appeared to be about thirty or so, but no one knew for sure. Every time his body reached fifty; he would revert back to the body of a twenty year old after a deep sleep. He never remembered anything from his previous life, having lost all memories of his previous doings, except miraculously recalling skills he'd learned. His was an odd freakiness, but also very interesting. Adrik had always found him to be good and interesting company, which was saying something given his current living arrangements.

"It's alright, I'm used to these nutcases," he jabbed a finger over Erika's giggling head at his two friends, earning him indignant cries of "hey!"

Pendar smiled knowingly. He was glad that he had been reborn right before having met these wonderful children, he was always fond of the youth, slightly envying what they had and what he could not remember. "Well, if you're sure," he trailed off, noticing the sly smile in the young boy's eyes. There was definitely going to be trouble later on, he thought. But he wasn't one to stop such things. Especially when it came to Adrik: since he could usually be found taking "cat naps" out in the sun, he was often pranked by his friends, but they only did it in good fun. All of those in the circus were as close together as family. Especially since most had none of their own. The Cirque du Freak was a place to start life anew (although in Pendar's case, he took that a little too literally). For the young ones who came in, theirs was a precious life saved.

Pendar shook away his wavering thoughts, it was high time little Adrik got his revenge on the other pranksters. He chuckled as he went back inside.

_"What's going on out there, brother?"_ Dheavos asked, showing his notepad as Pendar's shoulder as he passed by. The two weren't real brothers, of course, but they were close and referred to each other as such. None but the twisting twins who came by the Cirque every few years were actually related unless two members married and had a child, which was rare.

"Oh, you know, the children messing with Adrik again. Nothing to worry about," Pendar laughed along with Dheavos heartily, both all too familiar with the kids antics.

_"Well, I suppose there's nothing wrong with that now is there?"_ Dheavos shook his head. He was around the age Pendar appeared to be, but again, never sure. Due to his species: half Siren, half Goblin, the man never spoke aloud, thinking it quite irritating to be flocked by woman at the slightest word, and equally so to have to sing ever word. (1) In order for him to communicate with others, he usually just wrote on the notepad he carried around with him, unless it was an emergency and he was forced to use his limited telepathy. He couldn't send thoughts at a distance though, so he had to be able to touch the person when necessary.

He generally wore jeans along with a plain t-shirt, but other than that, he didn't accessorize. What sort of man would? He had eyes of the clearest, crystalline blue and extremely curly black hair that framed his olive face nicely. He has black feathery wings as well, but these he kept folded tight against his back until they were needed. You wouldn't _believe_ how many times he had been teased by the younger children for being from some Ride novel. He couldn't remember the exact name (**A/N: yes, I know what it is**). Who would name their child _Fang_ anyway?

His real name was Lysias Aischylos, but he never let anyone call him that (it's a goblin thing). He preferred Dheavos, and would only respond to that name alone. Of course, he wasn't completely heartless and would listen to Erika and her childish calls of 'Devvy'. Why she insisted on adding an "ee" sound to everyone's name was beyond him, but he tolerated it with the girl. He was a generally in a dark mood and quite gloomy, but wherever Erika was concerned, he melted like butter.

Pendar was more of an optimist, and much more ready to smile and laugh than his brother. He had blue eyes as well, but had blond, shoulder length hair unlike his counterpart. In truth, they were really complete opposites in all aspects besides the color of their eyes. Pendar was tall and thin, while Dheavos had more of a sturdy, average build.

Pendar laughed again as he listened to the sounds of squealing girls and an angry boy chasing after them. All in fun, but very loud.

All of a sudden, the benign screams were halted as another cry cut through the air: "Hibernius! Hibernius!"

Mr. Crepsley's cry echoed throughout the many tents until the entire cirque was watching him enter the camp grounds. Mr. Tall calmly opened his trailer door to let the clearly panicked man inside. All the members of the cirque stared in horror as the Vampire entered the cirque owners dwelling, a bleeding and unconscious child in his arms.

The brothers exchanged glances after the scene played out, and quickly ran to the entrance of their employer and friend's trailer. They were accompanied by all of the other members that were there at the moment: Sive and Seersa, Cormac Limbs (2), and even Rhamus Twobellies gathered to hear what was going on. Lily and Alias joined them soon after, and were bombarded with questions:

"What happened?"

"Who was that?"

"Why was he bleeding?"

"Larten didn't…"

The last question was louder than the rest, demanding everyone's attention and an answer. Lily's eyes widened in horror, "What? No! Of course not! You know he never drinks more than his fill."

Alias crossed his arms and rolled his eyes. For one of the Cirque members to actually think that Larten Crepsley, the man who insisted on rules, etiquette, and all the rules of olden times, would ever think of killing an innocent child…it was inconceivable.

Lily ran to her trailer as quickly as possible while Alias and the rest of the Cirque took a seat in the grass.

**A/N: **

**Reviews:**

**Thanks to The other ghost girl, MizoreSnowstorm, Corrie CrossBearer, Deathbright, cocoa85715, book phan44, a-listers, MiniSoulReaper, Venas, jeanette9a**

**Your continuous questions and criticism help me write better**

**Thank you to Riqis Inna Sunja for betaing! Too bad I'm too lazy to actually edit it… XD**


	15. Time

QS: Freakshow has been thwarted for now and thanks to a good beating and a train wreck, Danny is injured with vampire blood in his veins. However you want to split that up, it doesn't matter. He has ghost, he has vamp, and he has human. I've been stressing over that for a month and came up with zilch on a definite decision. Gave myself a headache for it too…anyway, Crepsley, Lily, and Alias have raced back to the Cirque for some immediate medical attention. Vampire blood heals, but it's not going to poof and fixes Danny. Remember that he is in his human form right now!  
>Also, I messed up on the last sentence in the last chapter. I fixed it to say that Lily went to her trailer and everyone else sat down or something like that<strong><br>****A/N: Guess what my lovelies? I've stolen access to my computer! huzzah!**

**So we have been introduced to most of the OC's now: Naomi, Fon, Erika, Adrik, Pendar, Dheavos, Alias, and Lily. I hope you're not too overwhelmed with all of that but I think I'm going to put in a review from me to show all the characters with a description of personality and looks. It'll help both you and me ;)  
>So who's excited for this chapter? Bookphan44, don't hyperventilate! Tell your bro to keep you calm! XD<br>And now without further ado, here's my muse!  
>CW: …<br>VFR: say it.  
>CW: no<br>VFR: why not?  
>CWL because you got a new muse and have replaced me.<br>VFR: *look of shock* you're not replaced!  
>CW: then what is he doing here? *points to corner with a fluffy green ghost cat*<br>VFRL he's taking a nap! Minzy isn't replacing you at all!  
>CW: *dubious look*<br>VFRL *sigh* just say the disclaimer and I'll explain it to you.  
>CW: fine, we don't own Danny Phantom or Cirque Du Freak<br>VFR: thank you. I don't know why but he's been so touchy lately. Also, a thank you to A-listers for fixing Cormac's last name, and to Kanathia for the constructive criticism. I'll work on inserting that info in later ;)  
><strong>**Chapter 15:**

Larten paced back and forth in the large trailer. Mr. Tall had insisted that everything would be all right and that he should really go outside with the others, but he refused. He trusted Hibernius with his life, but he wanted to be there if the child awoke. When the child awoke…  
>"Larten, you are blocking the light," Mr. Tall gently stated.<p>

Mr. Crepsley jumped back; he hadn't even realized that he'd been hovering over his friend. "I am sorry, old friend, it is just…" he trailed off, not knowing exactly how to finish that sentence.

Mr. Tall lifted his head from the boy, knowing very well what he was trying to say, "I know, but you need to allow me enough room to work. He's lost a lot of blood already."

Larten paled and took a step back, gulping down his fear for the child whose life was hanging by a spiders thread.  
>Speaking of spiders, Madam Octa had taken it as her personal duty to oversee Mr. Tall as he worked, perched on Phantom's forehead like a gothic sentry. She would send encouraging words to Danny, trying to coax him back to the world of the living.<p>

Lily came crashing into the tent, a bundle of various leaves and roots in her arms, half of them glowing a phosphorescent color, "I-I didn't know what you would need, so I got every medical plant I could find."

Hibernius accepted the herbs gratefully and set to work again, occasionally asking what a certain plant did from the flustered herbalist. He quickly laid some large ghostly leaves over the open wounds and sprinkled them with his powder that he used to repair severed limbs.

The boy and the leaves began to glow brighter, causing his face to scrunch up. Phantoms head swiveled from side to side, causing Madam Octa to scurry off to a more motionless place to watch him. He squirmed and withed until a painful scream escaped his lips.

"What is the meaning of this? Why are these plants hurting him?" Larten asked, not exactly panicking, but still highly concerned.

"Just watch," was the only answer Hibernius gave. Lily came up to Mr. Crepsley, seeking comfort in her friend. She didn't know what was happening either. Sure, she knew what the plants did, but it wasn't as if she had had the opportunity to use them before.

Phantom's screams increased and so did his glow, until finally they both died down. Somewhere in all that, the boys back had arched with pain, but now he was slumped against the table he'd been placed upon once more. He looked exhausted, as if the process had taken the last of his energy. His raven hair was in his eyes, but you could still clearly see the dark circles under them. He was unnaturally pale, but that could be accounted for by the loss of blood. The leaves had disappeared, to be absorbed by the halfa's body and transformed into nothing more than a memory and thin scars. His left arm and both legs were in black makeshift casts that stood out from his pale form.

"The broken bones will have to mend on their own, but they should heal nicely. He'll be sore, but no lasting physical damage. His mind on the other hand…" Mr. Tall dwindled off, "well, there's no telling what that man, no, creature did to this child. We will have to wait till he wakes up to see if he is truly alright."

"And when might that be?" Lily asked.

Mr. Tall shrugged, "he seems to be exhausted, so not for a couple of hours. He will need rest." He looked over at the door where mutterings could be heard now that Phantom's screaming's had died down. With a smile, he went and opened the door, causing Adrik, and Naomi to tumble inside.

"Umm…hi Mr. Tall…" Naomi waved her hand nervously.

Mr. Tall just shook his head. He had known they were listening at the door, but it hardly mattered. And now, it would serve to help the unconscious boy currently on his table, "Hello, children. I was wondering, would either of you have any room in your tent for a healing boy?" he gestured behind him to Phantom's battered form. He already knew that Naomi was rooming with Fon, but he felt it polite to ask both anyway.

"I guess I have room, sir. I wouldn't mind a roommate." Adrik's deep voice said.

Hibernius smiled, "excellent! Please ask the Little People to set up a hammock in there would you?" he shooed them off and turned back to his two other guests. "You should get some rest. The boy should be fine, I'll see to that personally. You both need sleep after today's events."

The two Cirque members tried to protest through barely suppressed yawns, but in the end they left willingly. They trusted Mr. Tall in his word. He had never given them any reason to doubt him before, why should they now? With slow steps, they stepped into the twilight air.

Mr. Tall watched as the weary employees left. "You may show yourself now," he said in a knowing tone.

The air behind him shimmered before a blue clock hand swirled into existence, revealing a ghost child with a chest cavity of a grandfather clock.

"Meddling again, eh Clockwork?" the Cirque owner allowed himself a smile.

The Time Master simply nodded and floated over to the slumbering teen, changing into the form of an old man, "Just observing for now, Hibernius. I simply came to check on my charge and make sure he was unharmed. Well, permanently anyway."

Mr. Tall nodded. "You can rest assured that the boy is alright for now. Despite a slight shift in DNA, he is otherwise unchanged."

Clockwork frowned, "yes…the work of Desmond Tiny I presume. He does oh so love to complicate the time stream doesn't he?"  
>Hibernius chuckled darkly at the joke to his father, "he would say it was his 'duty' to 'liven-up' the time stream. I fear someday he will push the laws too far, however."<p>

Clockwork nodded, "I couldn't tell you either way. He is…outside of my jurisdiction. Which is most unfortunate considering his actions create the most ripples in the fabric of space-time, something that he loves to point out to me." He stopped his train of thought as he shifted back to a child, peering at the shaggy black hair, closed blue eyes, and pale skin. "Hard to believe the fate of everyone is in the hands of a child isn't it?"

Hibernius nodded, "and not for the first time as I understand it."

"He was in danger of destroying the Earth once, but that was averted. Not that he remembers that."

"Why doesn't he have any memories, might I ask?"

Clockwork hesitated, pretending to fiddle with his time staff as he searched for the best way to answer that question. "all is as it should be."

The cirque owner let out a dry chuckle, "I expected that answer."

"then why ask questions to which you already know the answer?"

Hibernius shook his head in mirth, "there's nothing wrong with asking questions." He eyed the ghosts floating in front of him. "since you're here, why don't _you_ take the boy to his tent? You are the only one of us who can move him without harm.

Clockwork raised an eyebrow, but relented with a smirk. He changed into the form of a middle aged man, "only because he is still under my care, and because you are my favorite nephew."

"I'm your only nephew."

Clockwork's smirk turned knowing, "as far as you know, yes." On that ominous note, he pointed his time staff at Phantom and levitated him off the table. He was about to teleport away, but was stopped. He held out a hand to Mr. Tall, depositing a leather cord with something hanging from it into his hand.

"give this to him when he awakes, will you? He won't know what it means, but it will give him hope if you tell him it is from his past."

Hibernius raised an eyebrow, but said nothing when the ghost teleported away in a blue swirl.

The time master arrived in the tent, waiting for the Little People to finish tying a hammock to two poles. When they finished, he nodded his head in thanks and placed Danny gently into the soft woven fabric. He never stirred once, the entire time a placid expression on his features. Clockwork passed through the boys hair with a child's hand, watching a small smile touch Danny's lips.

"rest while you can, Danny. There's always calm before the storm. And no storm will be greater than yours."

**A/N: woo hoo! And Clocky and I are back on good terms. Mostly because I put him in this fic now I think…  
>CW: it was all a misunderstanding…is that what you wanted me to say?<br>VFR: yes, good job. Here's a treat *feeds him a review* see guys? My muses live off of your reviews! Please feed them! Also, a bit of advertising: I and my good friend Ckittykatty are writing a fic together! It's called Happiness and so far, I'm pretty proud of it! Check it out if you like.**

**And I want to see your guesses as to what's on the leather chord! Seriously, I'm curious what you think it is. Tell me please? I might confirm if it's right…or not XD**

**Reviews:**

**Thanks to Phyllis Joy Wolfe, Venas, Zii Raevyn, book phan44, Riqis Inna Sunja, A-Listers, cocoa85715, jeanette9a, MizoreSnowstorm, Sayuri Yori, Kanathia  
>The DP fangurl- I love reviews; period. Anonymous or otherwise it's all great to me! I'm glad you liked it, and if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask.<br>Thank you to Riqis Inna Sunja for betaing! Too bad I'm too lazy to actually edit it… XD**


	16. like a cloud

QS: Just to make sure you haven't forgotten any key details, I'll go over them again:  
>1- Danny is technically 16, but with the appearance of 15 because he ages one year in two after his ghost half was born<br>2- This is set with TUE _before_ Control Freaks. Everything else hasn't happened.  
>3- Danny has only a very limited memory of his time before Freakshow. He remembers vague images of his family and friends, but not a lot.<br>4- Everyone besides Sam and Tucker think Danny died, including his sister and Vlad, but they don't know where he is.  
>5- Now that Danny is…let's say 13 vamp, 1/3 human, 1/3 ghost… he will age very slowly at about 1 year in 10. I'll still refer to him as the halfa on occasion though ^.^  
>6- Madam Octa isn't telepathic! I'm sorry if I confused you, but it's been brought to my attention that I was horrible at explaining that. (not in such blunt words, but that's the gist XD) Danny is telepathic with arachnids and is the only one who can actually understand what their saying. Hope that wasn't confusing.<br>**A/N: so here's the next chapter! I'm really sorry about this new updating schedule. If only my school would allow regular FF, I'd be golden!**

Chapter 16:  
><em>Sam was being pushed back by Freakshow's minions. "Who's it going to be, Danny? The crystal ball or your friends?" Her foot slipped off the edge and she plummeted to the ravine below. "I didn't mean that to be so literal!"<em>  
><em>Danny's eyes flashed with surprise and horror as he watched Sam fall out of sight.<em>  
><em>"Sam? Sam!" he took a step forward with full intention of jumping over the edge and saving her from death, but he was stopped by Freakshow suddenly lunging forward and snatching the staff out of his hands and forcing Danny to look into its depths. The moment his eyes were on the ball again, all conscious thought left his mind.<em>  
><em>"Now listen very carefully, drone, I do not want to see anything like that ever again. When I tell you to do something, you do it, no matter what. Understood?"<em>  
><em>Danny nodded.<em>  
><em>"Good. Forget that girl, forget this town, forget who you once were, you belong to me now," again, Danny nodded, but this time he was dismissed to guard the money car below.<em>  
><em>Tucker, still momentarily forgotten by the minions, looked over the edge to check if his friend was dead. To his immense relief, he could make out Sam crawling up the river bank, soaking wet. But if Danny were to ever retrieve his memory, he would believe her dead…<em>  
>"Sam!" With a panicked scream, Danny shot up to a sitting position, wincing afterwards because of his still sore ribs. Slowly, he allowed his breathing to calm back into a normal rhythm, relieving some of the pressure and pain from his aching sides. What had that dream been about? It felt familiar, like something that he should know, but didn't. In fact, he recognized the girl and African American. They were the some of the few people that he actually remembered from his past, but that still didn't give him any clue as to their identity. One name wasn't enough to tell anything, but she had said something about friends. Was that what she was to him? And what about the rest of the faces from his past? With a sigh, Danny realized that this trail of thinking was only leading him to more questions, and would most likely result in him getting in trouble with his master. Deciding to push the dream to the back of his mind for now, he cautiously opened his eyes, trying to determine if he had awakened said master or alerted the other minions to his nightmare. He didn't know what would happen if Freakshow learned of his dream, but it didn't matter. It didn't matter because…because Danny wasn't on the train…<br>With wide eyes and a dropped jaw, Danny peered around him for a moment, trying to decipher the strange surroundings he found himself to be in. He was in a large tent, it seemed, filled with trunks of stuff scattered haphazardly around. Stacks of boxes and a small table with flickering candles occupied the small space, but it didn't seem crowded. The items seemed to give the tent a sort of homey feel to it, something that Danny hadn't really encountered before now. Three poles connected at the top by beams held up the thick fabric that made up the walls, ceiling and, to Danny's surprise, two hammocks, one of which he found himself to be sitting in. With an awed expression, he gingerly touched the soft, woven fabric beneath him. Forgetting about the rest of his surroundings and his earlier dream completely, he slowly sank into the fabric with a sigh.  
>Danny sank into the soft woven fabric with a blissful sigh. It was so heavenly to be able to lay on something so…<em>soft.<em> He really couldn't say that word enough in his mind: soft, soft, soft. He had thought that his living arrangements in his train car had been better because he had managed to find a blanket on one of his raids, but this was so much better, it was simply too good for words!  
>He sighed contentedly, eyes closing again in bliss and previous aches all but forgotten. "Soft, soft, soft." It was such a pity that Freakshow would call him out of this strange room. He hadn't been on a job in a while, meaning that it was long overdue. For whatever reason he'd been moved here, Danny knew it wouldn't last. Nothing good ever lasted with him.<br>"Comfortable, are we?" a deep voice chuckled.  
>Danny's eyes shot open and his chest clenched in panic. Yup, never lasted. He sat up quickly and pushed off the edge, intending to float backwards and away from the intruder, but he ended up falling instead. He moaned with his eyes squeezed tight against the pain, but recovered enough to crab-walk backwards.<br>"I suppose you are not now, though," Mr. Crepsley moved forward to help the boy to his feet, but stopped when he saw him flinch. He stepped back, allowing Danny to think and recall all that had happened in silence.  
>"What-what are you doing here? I told you to stay away!" he was about to have a panic attack, now, his breathing coming out in short pants. His master was going to be furious if he found out that this man was still alive. And furthermore, Danny couldn't <em>fly<em>. Why couldn't he fly? He had always been able to before! With flickering eyes, he glanced down at his body to see if the wounds he felt were so bad as to inhibit his powers, but what he saw made his breath catch in his throat.  
>He was back in that strange form again, but it looked far worse. His chest was bare except for the bandaging that covered it, probably the only thing holding his ribs together. Almost every inch of his was covered in purple bruising that was slowly morphing into a sickly yellow color. All in all, he looked like a wreck! His master would not-<br>He stopped again, only just realizing his breath had returned to its quickened state before a memory flooded his mind. _That's right! _He thought. Danny remembered Madam Octa coming into his train car and the fight that ensued, but after that…everything was a blur. All he could remember was a kind face leaning over him and a sweet scent that seemed to take away his troubles, whatever that meant.  
><em>It's ok, Danny, you're safe now!<em> A feminine 'voice' came from off to his right, and Danny relaxed a bit.  
>He turned his eyes in the direction he 'heard' her voice coming from and hissed out a reply, "What's going on here?"<br>Larten raised an eyebrow at the direction the boy's eyes had taken, but decided to answer the question anyway, "Well, I had _planned_ on staging a rescue mission and freeing you from…what was his name?" Danny just stared at him in shock, unable to answer, "I suppose it does not matter. I had planned on finding you, and bringing my friends along to save you, but you had already taken care of part of that."  
>Danny frowned. He could remember the fight on the train, if only in broken images in his mind. The crystal balls effects had really done a number on his cognitive skills. He recalled the order that sent his fellow minions into a wild frenzy to attack Madam Octa and his own struggle against that urge. Apparently, he had succeeded if he was looking at the colorful spider right now, but the thought that he could have possibly played a part in her demise…he shuddered at the thought.<br>"…and that brings us to here." Larten concluded, never noticing that Danny had zoned out and hadn't even heard the last part of the conversation until now.

"Um…ok…" Danny trailed off. Really, all he understood was the fact that a) he was powerless at the moment for some unknown reason, b) he was going to need to heal if he was ever going to survive, c) he had no idea where he was and he could possibly be in danger…

**A/N: OK, so I don't know if you remember, but way in the beginning I said that I had originally had this fic typed in first person and had changed some stuff. I'm curious, if you want me to post what I HAD written so you can see the changes. Would you like that? Review replies next chapter!**


	17. The Necklace

QS: so…Danny was freaking out a little last time. Hopefully, he won't seem like such a paranoid nutcase in this chapter, but no promises right? It's still _me_ writing this XD

**A/N: *rubs eyes* Word to the wise, don't read the Great Gatsby. Too much gossip and drama… Anyway! Ready for another chapter? I bet you are after that horribly uneventful last chapter.**

**Alex: you spent an entire paragraph on a hammock…**

**VFR: hey! He was happy! Let him be!**

**Minzy: it's better than what dear Danny's going through in _Happiness_**

**VFR: -.- yeah, dark time in that fic, GO READ IT!**

**CW: we own nothing**

**VFR: so sad isn't it? One thing I forgot to mention in the last re-cap: I forgot that Mr. Tall said that hybrids were rare and even rarer to be sane (Wolfman for example is not) so let's say that the DP aspect will void that ok? Hybrids exist, not as frequently as you would think, but it _is_ a Freakshow. Their sanity can be lost or gained due to their own mental strength like the rest of us mortals, hope that's clear.**

**Read on my Tesaki and Ukeoi!**

Chapter 17:

Larten watched as the panicked light in Phantom's eyes changed into understanding, and then panic again, all within seconds. He wished he could reassure the boy that he meant no harm, but what could he say? Phantom didn't seem to trust anything, and from what he knew of his past (though that was little), h had good reason to. That kind of stress and mental strain- to be _controlled against your will_-well, he had already been down this mental path; he did not want to revisit it.

He took a steadying breath as the newly formed half-vampires breathing increased. "I understand you are…untrusting of me, but I said I would help you and I meant it. But you are free now."

Danny started. Untrusting? Yes, he barely knew the man in front of him, but that wasn't what was setting his heart racing. It was more the combination of the fact his hear _did _beat along with everything else (yes he was still caught up on the whole transformation thing. He wasn't used to being alive). He didn't know where he was though if he had bee4n paying attention earlier he was sure Larten had said something about that), meaning his _master _didn't know where he was. Freakshow would be so furious with him for allowing Larten to live. This time, Freakshow would take no chances. He would probably have Danny turn him into a ghost or a pile of ashes. Personally, he wasn't sure which outcome was better.

Danny decided that if he could get back to the train then maybe he wouldn't be so angry. He would already be bad mood because Madam Octa had bitten…him…

He let out a short laugh, startling the vampire from his own musings. "You-you bit him…didn't you?"

The question was directed to the spider, but Larten didn't know that. "I beg your pardon?" he cried, thinking that the boy meant him.

_I already told you I did_ Madam snorted, alighting on the edge of the hammock that the halfa had previously occupied.

Danny's grin widened and, ignoring his aches from pure joy, he stood up and grabbed Madam Octa close.

"THANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOU!" he screamed in that way he gets when he's really grateful and really excited. He began to spin in a circle and was even jumping in place, showing his happiness.

Larten was taken aback. He had been about to snatch his spider back before the boy received a bit himself, but Phantom had moved too quickly. By the time that the old man realized his intentions, the child was already spouting his appreciation.

"You are the best spider _ever!_" Danny exclaimed excitedly.

_Ok. Easy, I get air sick! _And indeed, the little mental voice had wavered with queasiness.

The halfa laughed and settled the spider in his palm. "Woops, sorry."

At last, the old man could take it no longer, "who are you talking to?"

Danny stopped his laughter at the abrupt question and faced the man, spider still held in his hand, eye level with himself so he looked as if he were a waiter and Madam Octa was the tray. He tilted his head to the side, "what do you mean? I'm talking to Maddie."

_He can't understand me, Danny_ the spider's voice, now much steadier, explained.

"Who?" Larten was baffled. Had the child gone insane? Was that the cause of the sudden mood change and speaking to some person named Maddie? There was no one in there but Madam Octa, Phantom, and himself to explain otherwise. Another equally ludicrous idea was that the boy was speaking to the spider. Although it was perfectly plausible for the boy to have a limited telepathy of sending simple thoughts as Larten could, but full blown communication? Madness!

Danny's mouth formed an O, but then his eyebrows knit in confusion. He held up the spider to the vampire, "You can't understand her?" he was answered with a look he knew well from his many performances. "I'm not crazy!" he huffed and almost crossed his arms before realizing what that meant. He had received that look every time he did his little hand stand on his scythe, nothing bugged Danny nearly as much as when his sanity was questioned. Well, except being poked. _That_ really ticked him off. But by the questioning look still on the elders face, Larten didn't believe him.

Danny blew the strands of hanging bangs out of his face in exasperation, gravity pulling them over his eyes annoyingly. He raised his unoccupied hand in a placating manner and took a step back, "doesn't matter if you believe me. You're probably still in danger so…" he trailed off, activating his intangibility and hopping out of the tent.

He laughed at having successfully escaped through the 'back door' into the cold night air. "At least _that_ works," he said to the tarantula, referring to his powers. "Geez, he must think I'm a nut job or something." With a huge grin on his face, he turned and walked… right into a well built chest. The force sent him crashing to the floor, barely avoiding squishing the creature in his palms. Rubbing his head, he looked up to tell the guy off, and kept looking up…and up…and up…

The man before him had to be at least six and a half feet tall, but it was hard to tell from Danny's position on the floor. He wore a top hat, further messing with his calculations on height, and had black, pupil-less eyes.

"Uh, he he, hi there," he squeaked. He tried for a smile, but it came out like the kind you give a large watchdog when your saying 'niiiice doggy, gooooood doggy."

"Or something," Larten monotone, appearing beside the giant. He crossed his arms and stared down the little runaway, "I believe there is still the matter of _my _spider."

Reflexively, Danny drew his hands toward him to keep Madam Octa safe, ignoring the tall man in favor of the present threat: Larten Crepsley. "She can decide for herself who she goes with." He extended his hand, leaving enough room that the spider could easily jump across the space if she wanted to, surprising the vampire with his suddenness. Madam Octa had proven herself to be able to make decisions in Danny's eye, if she wanted to stay, he wouldn't stop her. He hoped he would get to keep his companion, but... well, that was her choice.

The spider looked back and forth between her long time friend, and her new companion, _I'm sorry, Danny, but i have to stay here._ She gave no reason or explanation other than that this place...was her home.

Well, Danny would never want to come between this kind spider and her home; a concept that, although unfamiliar, he knew was something to long for. Something to hope for. And, when one acquired it, something to cherish.

Even so, the halfa couldn't help but feel a little prickle in his eyes, but he fought the tears from falling.  
>"Well, I did say it was your choice." On the last word, the boy's voice broke, showing his distraught nature.<p>

He had hoped to have Maddie accompany him while he tried to make a life for himself. He had no idea what he was going to do with his new found freedom. He supposed he could do anything now, just as soon as he figured out how to change back into his more comfortable, lightweight, ghost form. He didn't like this feeling of warmth and was unaccustomed to the constant thump-thumping coming from his chest.

"Well, I guess I'll be going now," Danny sulked; "You only wanted Maddie, right?" he turned on his heel, giving his back to the stunned vampire. He could hitchhike his way until he managed to transform, it wasn't like he had anything to fear of regular men. Danny could access his intangibility and that alone provided his means of escape if anything got hairy. He was just about to test his other abilities when a deep voice called to him.

"You can stay here, if you wish," Mr. Tall spoke in his quiet voice, but it carried easily.

Danny turned, shuffled his feet, and shook his head. He was glad to be free, but he was still wary of others. Especially considering the fact that he was standing in the middle of a circus camp. It made him wary after so many years (just two but it's felt like eternity) of being under Freakshow's power… he wanted nothing to do with a circus for a loooong time.

"Thanks, but, not thanks." He would have turned and walked away for good this time, but the giant raised his hand smoothly. Curious as to what he wanted, the boy raised an eyebrow. He hadn't spoken at all, or even made his presence evident, up until now.

Mr. Tall glided forward until he was a few feet from Danny. He stood there for a moment, sizing the small figure below him. Yes, he decided, this boy could shift the balance in good favor for the world. He reached into his pocket, pausing when Phantom tensed, and pulled out the leather chord Clockwork had given him the previous day.

"Someone from your past asked me to give this to you when you awoke." Hibernius dropped the object into a stunned boy's awaiting hand.

Danny had to fight to close his dropped jaw, and even then, he started openingand closing it like a fish. There, resting on his palm, sat a golden ring with an emerald placed delicately in the center. He took the ring in between his thumb and forefinger, carefully removing it from the chord obviously placed there so he could wear the ring as a necklace if he wanted to.

"Where did you get this…" he breathed, but he received no answer. It wsa just as well, really, he wouldn't have heard the reply anyway with the ringing that had started in heis ears. Danny winced as a memory tried to bubble to the surface, giving him a mild headache as they usually did. He curiously peered on the inside of the ring, following the vague sense of a memory. There, on the opposite side of the jewel, were three letters.

"Sam…" just with speaking that one word, a wave of mixed emotions whirled inside him like a tornado. That name…it was the name of that girl that had fallen to her death in his dream. He looked at the giant before him and asked the silent question with pleading eyes. Mr. Tall only nodded, allowing Danny to turn, and run as fast as his weakened legs would carry him.

-Line Break-

Larten eyed the scene playing out before him with the boy and his friend. He had no idea about what the item he had given Phantom, but knowing the Cirque owner, it had to be important. The giant did nothing without a purpose.

"Are you going to keep an eye on the boy?" Mr. Tall murmured, though again, he was easily heard.

Mr. Crepsley started, thrown from his musings by the soft voice. "Yes, I will have to. His a newly blooded half-vampire, as his master, it is my duty to do so." His voice was calm and collected, but it spoke nothing of the turmoil inside him. With no more than a nod of acknowledgment, Larten placed Madam Octa back into her cage and stalked off into the night where the boy could still be seen running away.

**A/N: snuck the computer! yaaay!**

**Reviews:**

***sigh* because Fanfiction is on the fritz and I have no idea who I have sent a message to, I shall simply reply to everyone here for once. Most likely again for some of you.**

**Thunderrules:** hello new reader! Well, I suppose I could tell you…but that would ruin the surprise now wouldn't it? All I can say is you might be surprised.

CW: you are not very cryptic

VFR: meh, I'm not trying

**Venas: **yeah, poor Danny has been put through a lot hasn't he? What cruel person would put him through this! *sarcasm* XD

**Wings-of-the-owl: **I'm so glad you liked it! Truth be told, I haven't read the books in a year and I forget a lot of stuff. Like the names of the twisting twins! I couldn't remember them until Cocoa reminded me XD. I'm so glad I wrote a can't-be-put-down fic! Thank you!

**Phyllis Joy Wolfe: **well, I suppose you just read a piece of his reaction didn't you? Hehe.

**Cocoa85715: I'm sorry! But I'm glad you told me about the paragraphs so I can fix it now. Us and our short attention spans… XD**

**Riqis Inna Sunja:** the issues are a bit resolved right? It wasn't too confusing right? Thank you dear beta! HEY! Anyone who is reading random review responses! This is an AWESOME person! Thank her! Thank her NOOOOOOW!

**Book phan44: **I laughed too! Ha-ha, I made him fall off a hammock! Actually, I know that hurts from experience *wince*

**Jeanette9a:** I suppose I just answered that didn't I? Hehe, Larten thinks he's a nut job! Well, Danny said he was Phantom, so, for now until he feels more comfortable, that's who he shall be. Haha, Danny does seem like the type to put his name on his underwear doesn't he? Hehe. He shall find out soon enough, but not just yet…

**Seantriana: **I'm sorry, I was just able to fix that chapter, I'm really sorry.  
>And I know for a fact I got the last two, whose thanks goes to Kiomori, and everyone's favorite non-contractor: WhatnooooI'mNotACONTRACTOR! XD thanks ukeoi!<p>

**For chapter 15: thank you to**

**WhatNooooI'mNotACONTRACTOR, jasblue97, AdamantiumDragoness, Sholay (times 15 XD), the other ghost girl, jeanette9a, seantriana, Riqis Inna Sunja, Book Phan44, Venas, and Cocoa85715.**  
><strong>Best reviewers EVER!<strong>


	18. Core and Problems

QS: So Danny is still pretty beat up from his "little" train accident, but not majorly so. Thanks to the fact that he is now half-vampire (or whatever division you so chose. Forget math, he's half human, half vampire, half ghost) as well as because of Mr. Tall. Keep in mind that the CDF vamps take a few hours before they turn crispy, and half vamps don't react to the sun at all, ok? Although, Wittle Warten is so delicate that he burns quicker than most.

**A/N: I am sooo sorry I couldn't get this chapter out for so long. My grandpa had to go to the hospital so my dad had to get his stubborn butt from Mexico. Anyway, as you know, the only time I update is when I'm with my dad, hence, late update. Can you forgive me? Hopefully this can make it up to you. I remembered my original write of this story and forgot about a scene I wanted. He he, you might like it.**

Chapter 18:  
>He was hungry again, Danny noted with slight annoyance. Geez, this form was so demanding! Just a few minutes ago, he had done something he really would rather not think about. Suffice it to say, there was a patch of dead grass, and flies buzzing around that area. But it wasn't as if he had much of a choice for anything else at the moment. His thoughts were scattered and there was no way he could concentrate long enough to successfully transform. He studied the ring in his hand, the source of his troubles, and sighed.<p>

He was sitting with one knee propped up and the other leg dangling lazily from the tree branch he'd found. It was a low, sturdy branch that had a nice cozy V shape at the base that ensured Danny wouldn't fall off unless he grew careless. Even so, he wasn't scared of heights. With his previous profession on the high-wire, you couldn't be. The tree sat in a densely forested area of the woods that suited his desire for complete privacy just fine.

He had climbed up the tree with the intention of finding a roost to sleep, though that thought had died once he slipped the ring into his view.

_What does it mean?_ He asked himself for the hundredth time. There was a nagging feeling in the Back of his mind , like he _should _know what the ring was and what it meant. Problem was, he still couldn't access his memories. He had thought that once he was free of the crystal ball, he wouldn't have to worry about that missing part of his life being _missing_ anymore, but besides the dream, nothing else was revealing itself to him. And the dream wasn't even out of the ordinary for danny, so _nothing had changed!_ He had often Had horrible dreams with several of those strange people, but never enough that gave him a lot of clues as to his previous life. Flashes of a burger place, snippets of broken conversations, jumbled events. Truthfully, last night's "dream" was the clearest he'd had in months.

"It's probably because it was an order," Danny thought miserably. He could still hear the echo of his last order ringing in his ears, urging him to obey: _attack that blasted spider…don't let her live…avenge…me…_

Danny shivered, "Don't think about him. He's not your problem anymore," He tried to tell himself that, but he still felt a little guilty that the guy had died. No one deserved that fate by any means, no matter how cruel a master he was. "And he was cruel." He said to himself. It was a habit, talking to himself, which he had never quite broken. Not that he would ever want to when there really was no one else _to _talk to.

"I still look ridiculous when I do, though." He smiled; swinging his other leg off the edge of the tree and letting it sway back and forth lazily. "Doesn't matter." He shook his head to clear it, wondering how he had let his thoughts wander so far from their original course. The letters ADD popped into his mind, but he couldn't really put a meaning to them.

"Weirdo memory… Maybe now I can try…" he drifted off, slipping the ring onto the leather cord and tying it around his neck, slipping it under his shirt so it was out of sight. He didn't want to deal with it now that he had finally gotten his mind away from it. He had wasted hours enough while trying to find, and while he was in, this tree! He wanted out of this form, and he could finally concentrate enough to do it. Hopefully.

"Alright, come on, Danny, you can do it. How hard can it be?" he closed his eyes and fisted his hands in concentration. He searched within himself for the familiar feeling of his ghost form, and at last came upon it in the center of his being. He gasped and opened his eyes at the raw power he felt radiating from his core. Experimentally, he brushed at it with mental fingers and a bright white light flooded his vision. He yelped and, losing his concentration, fell out of the tree with an ungraceful thud. Thankfully, he didn't land on anything too important, like his head. _Un_fortunately, his back and butt would be sore for a while again.

"At least the broken bones healed," Danny moaned, always looking at the bright side of things. His voice came out strained and he coughed, trying to recapture the wind that had been knocked out of him.

"Note to self, do it on the ground." He growled to himself, referring to the transformation. He wasn't very clear when speaking aloud to no one, but then again, why would he be? It wasn't as if the person Danny was talking to wouldn't know what he was talking about. Little did he know, there was indeed someone else lurking in the shadows, keeping an eye on him. Two, actually, but the second wouldn't reveal his yellow booted self. He was simply a spectator, for now at least. Mr. Tiny would make his presence known soon enough. For now, he was having too much fun! He knew all about the amnesiac teenager, and was merciful enough to grant a memory of how to do his business earlier, wouldn't be very fun to watch a grown boy flail around in something so simple. He was a cruel man, but he wasn't dirty.

Speaking of cruel, perhaps it was time for some action…He grinned wickedly, and set to work on setting up his "entertainment".

The first visitor was none other than Larten Crepsley, crouching under the shade of a tree with his red cloak shielding him from the rising suns light.

He had followed the new-blood here to make sure he stayed out of trouble, and was doing quite a good job of it, too. So far, he had quietly and calmly averted the course of a few travelers in these woods to keep them as far away as possible from the boy. He would need to feed, and soon, but he would regret harming an innocent human because of blood-lust. Larten could taste as much in his blood. And so, he watched, waited, and protected. Until the child fell out of the tree, that is. He had wanted to rush forward to make sure the boy was all right, but he refrained. Phantom could take care of himself, he decided. He watched with interest as the boy moved, noticing for the first time that the boy's eyes were now a glowing emerald green...

Danny grumbled as he sat up, "I hate gravity." Thankfully, he wouldn't have to worry about it if this worked. He wouldn't have to worry about his grumbling stomach or falling out of trees. He wouldn't even have to _climb_ the tree this time!

He closed his eyes again and went back to his core, feeling it thrum with power beside his heart. Now that he concentrated and knew what to look for, he realized a similar feeling had been with him in his ghost form, now identified as his heart. Dulled, but there nonetheless. He tried for a deep breath, but only ended up with a coughing fit, a side effect of landing on your back from ten feet in the air.  
>"Again, I hate you, gravity." He pushed aside the pain to concentrate. All he had to do…was "touch" his core, and the transformation should occur. In theory, anyway. It was all guess work for him considering this was the first <em>willing<em> transformation. The first and last time the change had happened, it was because he was close to passing out or already had, obviously he wasn't in his full faculties to know how he had done it. The other two had been orders, glazed over in his memory with the red haze of the crystal ball. But Danny was never one to back down from bad odds, he would find a way into his more resilient form even if it killed him.

Danny laughed, "Wow, bad pun."

At last, his stalling over, the halfa quickly steeled himself for the bright flash of light –and any other unexpected distractions – and plunged his mental fingers into his core.

The result was instantaneous, a single white ring appeared around his wait and split, quickly encompassing his being and exchanging white bandages – that had replaced his torn shirt while he was at the Cirque – and torn jeans with the familiar black and white of his jumpsuit.

"Yes!" Danny cried in exaltation. He jumped into the air and laughed delightedly when his previous restriction of gravity was lifted. He did a triumphant back-flip into the ground, using his intangibility, and came up an instant to shoot into the air above the trees. Spreading his arms out wide, he spun around vertically as he rose higher and higher into the atmosphere.

He was happy. For the first time in his memory, he was content and happy. His wounds were healing, his mind was clear, he was free.

Of course, his happiness couldn't last forever, now could it? A blast from seemingly out of the blue confirmed that.

The green shot was dead on target., making Danny scream in surprise. It hadn't really hurt, per se, but the results were immediate and life threatening. Danny's body began to glow and within seconds he could feel his strength being drained away till he reverted to his human form.

'What, no!" Danny exclaimed, his momentum carrying him forward for a moment before gravity took hold again and made him drop like a stone to the ground. From his high altitude, Danny should have been turned into a pancake, but the fates decided to be merciful and put a tree in his path to break his fall slightly. The branches hurt as he zipped down, but he knew it would have been worse if it wasn't there.

When he finally plowed down into the ground, his bones jostled and he thought he felt a bone in his leg break on impact. He cried out, clutching at the wound with wide eyes. A blue mist escaped his lips, alerting him to the presence of another ghost.

"What? Here?' Danny breathed. He was in the middle of nowhere! What ghost could have possible been close enough to his vicinity to attack him? He knew from his two years on the road that ghost mostly kept to the populated areas. And this was definitely not one of them.

He tried, unsuccessfully, to brush against his core again and ignite his transformation rings again, but there was something foreign blocking the way to his probing mind. With a jolt, he realized he couldn't even call forth an ecto-blast to defend himself with.

His rising fear grew even more when a net shot out of nowhere and enveloped him securely within its grasp. For extra measures, electricity coursed through the glowing green fibers and leeched a scream from Danny's throat.

A figure emerged, arm outstretched. He was a robot, Danny realized once the pain ceased and his screaming died down to heavy pants and strong winces when the electricity's residual voltage passed through his system. The ghost had the net attached to his outstretched arm while his glowing green eyes narrowed in satisfaction, flaming Mohawk high with his power.

"It's been awhile, hasn't' it, Ghost Child?"

Cold dread spread itself through Danny's system as the smirk turned predatory. Something about this ghost sparked something inside him. "Do I… know you?" strangely, Danny was afraid of the answer to that question. He had a deep sense of foreboding that only increased when another voice came from his right, as the current ghost was on his left.

"You didn't go and forget us, now, did you?" A female voice asked, forming into the figure of a tall rock star with blue flames for hair. She wore a black shirt that opened up on one shoulder, revealing her light blue skin. Her look just screamed Gothic, but that wasn't what had Danny's nerves on edge. This girl, like the robot before her, seemed familiar to him. But he couldn't place her, or him, and it was driving him up the wall.

"I do believe he has, Ember." The robot replied, reeling the net in towards him. "Well, we can rectify that, now can't we? I am Skulker, the Ghost Zone's greatest hunter! And you...You are my prey."

Danny gulped, laughing nervously. "Like-like a game?"

Skulker's smirk grew manacingly, "Absolutely..."

**A/N: so...yeah, I'm sorry for the wait! did you like this chapter? give me your thoughts? By the way, if i don't reply to your review, please tell me. I get lost now that I can't use my nook...**  
><strong>Thanks to:<strong>  
><strong>Phyllis Joy Wolfe, AdamantiumDragoness, rosebird333, Venas, Jeanette9a, RumorPhantom1412, seantriana, book phan44, Dreams2Paper11, cocoa85715, Riqis inna Sunja, silent phantom gal, and The DP Fangurl<strong>

**You are all so awesome for all your support with this story. It's hard to believe i went from only about 7 readers to 13+ readers! I love you all!**


	19. Not good

QS: woo hoo! The plot thickens… or at least I think it is, if you were to ask me what the plot was, I would have no idea…however, we left off with everyone still alive who was already alive and everyone who's a ghost already a ghost. You know what I mean, right? Danny was all happy to be free and finally able to transform, and then Skulker and Ember showed up. Classic, no?

**A/N: Hello! I'm so glad for you to be reading this right now, seriously excited! I'm so close to 200 reviews, I can feel it ^.^ and a quick note, as Jeanette9a has already discovered, I am transferring some of my best works over to DeviantART! Hehe, I'm excited for that too…**

**Cw: we do not own Larten Crepsley, or Danny Phantom, or any other affiliated characters**

Chapter 19:

Danny raised his hands in a placating manner, but despite the impending danger, he wasn't panicking. The racing in his heart and adrenaline in his veins wasn't from fear, but anticipation. He was anxious, like his body remembered all the fights he had had with these two ghosts even if his mind did not. However, that didn't stop the fact that he had to get out of this net and morh first before he could do anything.

"Hang on, let's be reasonable. You don't want me, do you?" Danny asked. His voice had changed, but he didn't notice, and neither did the two ghosts, but a certain vampire did.

Larten was still crouched, safely tucked away into the shadows but still easily able to jump into the fray if necessary. He wasn't alarmed, however. The boy seemed capable of handling himself. If the boy was going to survive as a vampire, he would need to prove his worth. Larten would not always be there to help him and the world of the night was no place for the weak. He had rushed in to help the boy earlier because he was human (mostly) and a child in need. Now Phantom would need to prove his worth just like the rest of the clan. Young half-vampire or not.

Skulker grinned, "Still as cocky as ever, I see. With how easily you went down. I was worried you were no longer worthy to hunt."

Danny grimaced, "Hunt?" he looked down at his arms oddly, "I don't think I have enough meat on me for you to eat."

Skulker's grin faltered, puzzled by the statement. He had expressed what he wanted more than a few times in their encounters, why wouldn't he know it now? Could it have to do with why he didn't know Skulker and Ember?

"Forget it, Skulker, that's not why we're here anyway." Ember growled, arms crossed. "I let you have your fun, now let's go before Gramps gets antsy."

Danny frowned. The rocker didn't look at all like the type of person/ghost to be scared of anyone, but that's exactly what her voice said. That, along with the nervous strumming of the guitar she had conjured out of thin air, told of a girl who feared for her safety. And, judging by the worried frown on Skulker's face, he shared Ember's fear.

Skulker scowled, pressing a button on his arm to reel in the net with Danny inside. He tried to struggle free, but it was as futile as it had been before, if not more so.

"Seriously? I could do without the man-handling." Danny huffed indignantly but didn't stop moving.

"Hush, Ghost Child. I don't like this any more than you." However his grin widened, "Maybe I will be allowed your pelt once Freakshow is done with you…"

Danny visibly paled, eyes widening and mouth opening like a fish, but it wasn't about the gruesome picture of him with no skin. "D-did you say Master was alive?" in his own thoughts, he was free to call Freakshow whatever he wanted. Even a few choice nouns and adjectives that would make a sailor blush, but out loud there was only one title the control freak allowed: Master.

Skulker frowned, not understanding the severity of the boy's reaction, "If by 'Master' you mean the human known as 'Freakshow', then yes. He is indeed alive."

Danny's struggles increased, as did his screams, "NO! I won't go back, I won't!"

"Can we go now?" Ember asked, crossing her arms, "Kid's creeping me out!" She couldn't place it, but there was this aura around the boy that was different than he used to have, and not in a good way for her.

Skulker nodded, picking up the net while ignoring the squirming teen inside. He, too was receiving that message, loud and clear, but he would not let it impede his judgement, or his job. He flew up, Ember following close behind to the direction they knew Freakshow to be. They were simply grateful that the staff was broken when they came across his broken train and recovering form. It was still a most unpleasant meeting, but not more so than it could it have been with the red crystal to possibly control them.

That did not mean that the human was defenseless, though. The Ghost Zone couple would have flown away had it not been for Lydia attacking them and forcing them to submit to the creepy guy. Turns out, they had other crystals that could hurt ghosts, but not really and truly control them. All of them controlled by that egomaniacal, despicable human! Not good news for any of the ghosts within a 200 ft radius.

"Let me out!" Danny screamed, shattering Skulker's musings. He slumped in the net, out of breath from thrashing around so much. This was useless! Brute force would not get him out of this mess, but brains might. Or powers... He focused on his core inside him, hoping that the power inhibitor that he had been shot with earlier had worn off. He could feel his power there, just below the surface with nothing blocking it, yes! Finally, he caught a break!

Quickly, he tried to grab onto that feeling, but was pushed back when the net gave off a shock through his system.

"Gaaah!" Danny screamed in pain. It felt like bolts of lightning running through his system!

"It is no use, Ghost Child. I do not know if I have said it before, but this net was made especially for halfa's like you."

Danny started at the odd term that somehow felt familiar, but didn't say anything. He narrowed his eyes, determined not to show how scared he was inside.

"If I had not said this, well," The robots mouth sneered in malice, "You definitely know it now.

Phantom shut his eyes tight, fighting against his swelling panic. "I fought to get out of there." He whispered, voice ice cold. "I will not go back!"

With an audible snap, the painful, barely there, barrier between core and boy shattered into unsalvageable pieces, releasing all its power in massive wave after wave through his mouth. It was the first time in his memory that he had ever used this power, and most definitely the first time he had used such a strong attack while in human form. Within seconds, the net was disintegrated, and a lot more damage was done.

Skulker was blasted back, metal suit chipping away and damaging with the powerful attack. Ember was much worse off, being only bare skin with no metal to protect her. She was knocked out of the sky with a piercing scream, crashing down below into the foliage with the twigs scraping on her blue skin. She crashed onto the ground with a loud moan of pain, never hearing the two other booms coming from the hybrid and Skulker making contact with the ground.

"Not cool." She groaned. Her hair was down to its cut off form that she only had when she was really weak. She hated being weak. Ember growled, angrily getting to her feet and stomping over to the groaning teen with blue eyes. He was just lying there on the ground, spent of energy and staring at the blue sky above him. She was about to change that.

"What the heck is your problem, Dipstick!" She screamed. "Do you see the state of my guitar? You are going to pay for that!" She thrust a pointy finger in the direction of her smashed instrument a few yards away. She was going to pound the kid until there was nothing to deliver to Freakshow except bones and a pile of mush!

But she never got the chance. Danny's eyes had locked onto a wound on the ghosts shoulder that was oozing with green ectoplasm. A sight that should have sickened him, but was oddly appetizing. Too appetizing.

**A/N: hehe, so sorry for the wait, guys. I wish I had an excuse, but I don't. But what is this? A post on Monday? INSANITY! hehe, I found a way around the block program at school! I'm so happy...**

**Reviews: **

**Thanks to Cocoa85715, Phyllis Joy Wolfe, Jeanette9a, Riqis Inna Sunja, YourFavoriteContractor, seantriana, jasblue97, Pichicha123, book phan44, The DP Fangurl, Rosebird333, SaraTwixMonster, MiniSoulReaper, ChopSuzi, Clockworks Apprentice, GracyPhantom**

**You know, I don't know if I'd like being an actual author, I love your reviews too much! ^.^ who reviews books on each chapter? XD**


	20. blood

Quick Summary: Larten and Danny were in the woods but then, trouble struck the young hybrid when Ember and Skulker showed up, demanding to take him to Freakshow! That's right, folks, the maniac is still out for blood, but then again...so is a young Danny Phantom...

**A/N:Hey peeps! How yall doing today? Just a quick little thing, but I hope it satisfies you until I can get more out. Unfortunately, summer is fast approaching and I won't be able to update as often as I'd like. Mom still doesn't know about this account and I'd like to keep it that way. So I'll type what I can on my phone, but then transfer it to a computer when I go to my dad's. See you soon!**

Danny's emerald eyes glazed over as he forgot about the pain from falling, forgot about where he was, forgot about who he was, all because of the glowing green jewels glistening in the sunlight. Everything faded away from him as he slowly rose from his position on the ground to advance purposefully on the wounded ghost teen before him. He never heard the questioning words from either Ember or the now blob-like Skulker; his suit had broken on impact, but again, Danny didn't take any of this into account. As soon as he stood at full height, his eyes narrowed and he lunged forward with a feral growl towards the ectoplasm just waiting to be taken.

A scream echoed around the sunlit trees, calling to everything within a two hundred mile radius for help of any kind. Danny paid it no mind, all he knew was the delectable taste on his tongue. He bit down, using his strength to break through more skin than before, speeding the flow of green liquid down his parched throat. It was like nectar to the newly Formed vampire! Nectar from the highest of gods from Olympus itself! But he didn't focus on that long, all he could focus on was the sheer taste, not describing it in his mind! That took up brain power that could be focused on more important things… Unfortunately for his blood lusted mind, another had heard the cries of the fading Ember and had flitted to her aid.

Crepsley came upon a ghastly scene where Phantom's mouth was clasped firmly around a bleeding wound on one of the ghosts that had kidnapped him. She was fading in and out of existence, as if no more than a figment of his imagination then a real life ghosts. On Danny's head was a small green blob, jumping up and down on his head, trying with all his small might to free his girlfriend from the monster Danny had become.

"No!" Larten cried. This was exactly the outcome he had hoped to avoid by following the ghost child. He ran forward, grasping at the younger's shoulder and trying to pry him off the flickering form of Ember. He didn't understand ghost physiology, but he was pretty sure that that was not good on any terms.

He pulled, managing just barely to tear the boy away before the pop star disappeared completely. Not a bright move on his part, as soon as Danny's attention was dragged literally away from the ectoplasm, he turned his bloodlust towards the vampire. He snarled, green liquid dripping from his lips as he did so.

"Stop this madness!" Larten screamed, holding his hands up in a defensive position that he tried to make seem non threatening.

Danny growled, but slowly, reason started to return to his green depths, making his offensive and animalistic posture relax. His eyes widened at what he had been about to do, at what he had done. With a quick jerk of his head, he saw an unconscious Ember McLain accompanied by a panicking Skulker. That same emotion raced through Danny's heart as he realized the sweet nectar he still had on his tongue…was Ember's blood. He shook his head in horror, backing away from the ghosts slowly, only stopping when he ran into the thick chest of the vampire behind him. He looked up sharply, trying to find some sort of comfort or solace in those dark eyes for his dark actions.

"I am so sorry," Larten whispered, breathing out over the ghost child, catching him when he shifted out of that form and into his human one as he lost consciousness.

**(You like the story so far? Or am I losing you? Does it need more? And of what?)**

Danny was getting annoyed. This was the second, or possibly the third since he had lost count, time that he had come out of unconscious! He did, however, get to count his blessing that at least he wasn't hurt this time, and he was still in the woods where his last memory was. All in all, good signs. Which worried him. Nothing was ever good in his life…

The sun no longer reigned the sky, so that told Danny that he had been out for a while. A fact accentuated by the other annoying thing currently in his life: hunger. This human half thing was becoming a nuisance! Which made little sense to him. How was it that Danny could go two whole years without transforming and then now all of a sudden be changing left and right? Again, so little sense.

He blinked several times to clear the sleep from his eyes before he even attempted to rise, feeling more rested then he had in a long time, which was also an oddity. He ignored all that for now, choosing to assess his surroundings instead. He seemed to be alone, but that was only at first glance. Phantom was propped against a tree, so he knew that someone had placed him there. By the fact he was still breathing, he knew that whoever was there meant him no harm. That, or he/she was simply waiting in the shadows for the right moment to strike. With his life, Danny didn't put it past the fates to mess with him like that.

"Glad to see you awake, Phantom." Danny stiffened at the voice. Seriously? This guy was turning out to be a stalker!

"What are you doing here, Larten?" He stood quickly, ice eyes scanning the shadows as best as he could. "Why are you following me this—" That was when it hit. The memory from before he was knocked out. Those dangerous eyes widened to the size of dinner plates in horror.  
>Larten dropped from his perch in the tree he had chosen some feet away. "To welcome you to the night, of course.<p>

**A/N: PLEASE READ THIS!**

**guess what? I gots fanart! Just enter this into the url and remove the spaces, you know the drill. It's a wonderful title card thingy for this story by Sholay! Or Asnada as her penname on Deviantart is:**

**va mpi refro otlo opsr ul.d evia ntart fa vouri tes/? off set =24 #/d5 0d2 hn**

**it's sooo awesome! Don't forget to review!**

**Reviews: Holy cow, Guys! you got me all the way to 200! I love you all, I never thought I would get this far. Maybe Fifty, possibly one hundred, but two? Never! THANK YOU! My muses are happy with all the food you give them ^.^**

**and although she doesn't want a prize, GracyPhantom did win the contest so there! She wins!**

**Thanks to: GracyPhantom(times alot!), Rosebird333, coccoa85715, Phyllis Joy Wolfe, ChopSuzi, Adamantium Dragoness, Book Phan44, Jay Rosie, Riqis Inna Sunja, Dp Fangurl, Dreams2Paper11, Jeanette9a**

**bestest readers a girl could ask for!**


	21. The Truth Hurts

QS: Larten has taken Danny out of the area where Danny bit Ember, I think I forgot to mention that last time...anyway, Danny has been told that he is a vampire. How will he react?

**A/N: Hey folks! Sorry for the wait, I had my last week of school just pass, so I've been busy. Updates slower than usual unless plot bunny's attack, explanation at the bottom! For now, hit it, Clocky!**

**CW: WE DO NOT OWN THESE CHARACTERS!**

**VFR: someone's angry...read on, folks!**

Chapter 21:

Danny stared with wide eyes for a moment at the stoic vampire, trying to comprehend everything at once. A vampire? Him? So what, now he was half-ghost, half-human, and a vampire? He knew he was bad at math, but he did know that wasn't supposed to be possible (so bad at math, he didn't even realize this problem wasn't even in that jurisdiction). He whipped his head around to see the screaming Skulker trying to revive Ember from her coma-like state. No, it wasn't possible! He couldn't have done this, this wasn't him. He took a step away from it all; the blood, the ectoplasm, the ghosts, the vampire; and did the only thing one could do faced with crazy left and right.

He laughed.

He doubled over, clutching his stomach as he tried to hold in the stitches in his side. He never saw the raised eyebrows aimed at him from all those conscious around him. Probably wouldn't have cared that the one thought running simultaneously through Larten and Skulker's minds was "Is he insane?...Probably."

"Ok!" Phantom yelled through fits of laughter, wiping a tear from his blue eye. "I get it, Master, I'm Sorry!" he raised himself to his full height, a huge smile on his visage as he paraded around the small clearing he and the other ghosts had made with their crash. He spread his arms out to the side as if he were giving himself up for open fire. "Lydia? Sarah? This is one of your games, right? I learned my lesson, I won't misbehave!"

The humor in his eyes was slowly being overwhelmed with panic as nothing happened. Nothing moved except himself and the silent heads watching him. Not even a wind blew through the area to stir the surrounding foliage.

"Come on, guys! Jokes over!" he ran to a tree, pulling at a low-hanging branch until it broke off and he threw it away. He expected it to go through another tree, or give some other hint that this wasn't a real world.

It would have made sense, the girls with him under Freakshow's service had played a trick like this once before. Lydia used her tattoos to make whatever he touched feel real, Sarah made the tattoos and surroundings look real. But there was always a glitch. It would make sense.

If the tree trunk hadn't splintered when it hit a tree.

All humor left the boy as reality hit him with the force of a freight train. His legs buckled and he fell to his knees. His torn up jeans scraped against the dirty leaves as he tried to hold himself together. He was aching all over, the bandage around his waist throbbed with his rapidly beating heart and his head pounded with realization.

"This can't be real," Danny moaned, clutching his black hair. "There's no way this is real."

A thin hand placed itself on the boy's shoulders, causing ice eyes to rise to dark browns. The scared face showed an odd mix of emotions that the young halfa couldn't place, but he was oddly comforted by it. Those dark eyes spoke of long years alone, lost, unsure of where he belonged in this vast world; something that Danny could understand completely.

"Come with me, Phantom." Crepsley said, stretching out a hand for the boy to grasp as he got up.

Danny eyed the hand, but had lost the suspicion in his gaze some time ago. If this man, this vampire, had wanted to kill him, he would have. He accepted the hand and pulled him up to his feet.

"It's Danny. Call me Danny."

A smile flickered over Larten's stoic features, but he said nothing as he led the boy into the forest to start their journey.

As master, and assistant.

**(Line break!)**

Violet eyes scanned over paper after paper, searching for the umpteenth time for anything the owner ight have missed over the past two years.

The pages were that of a case file of a murder case: Date missing, evidence of demise, time of death, the whole nine yards. But those purple eyes weren't interested in facts proving the kill, she wanted more. So much more. She wanted evidence of life. That the smiling picture paper clipped to the file belonged to someone still breathing. Somewhere, that boy was alive, and Sam Manson would find him.

"Samantha?" a sultry voice asked at the doorway to the study where the Goth had stationed herself. She stiffened, a reaction of times long past combined with being interrupted.

"What do you want, Vlad?" she asked, and thought he words could have been interpreted as menacing, the tone and tiredness lacing it spoke the words as though simple question it was. Nothing more, nothing less.

"Dinner is ready if you cared to-"

"five more minutes." She looked up from the stack of papers scattered around her. "I'm so close, Vlad, I can feel it. Look," She jumped up from her seat, waving the man to a bookcase filled with dark, leather bound tomes as well as copies of a police files. She pulled out a brown book and opened it to a marked page. "See this? Frederich Isak Showenhower." She covered the latter half of the last name and folded the page to reveal a new name.

"It makes out Freakshow. I'm so close," She trailed off, knowing that the dark blue eeys following her had gained an interested glint.

Sam had moved into the billionaire's home the summer after Danny's disappearance, telling her parents that she wanted to learn as much as she could from the business tycoon. In reality, the two had been working together to gather information on the supposed murder, feeling deep down that it wasn't true.

But the evidence didn't look good. Sam and Tucker had seen him leave with the insane circus master, but eh a week later, Danny's body had been found in a ditch and created a murder case. The case went cold two weeks later, coffin six feet under, people mourned and forgot. But not Sam, and certainly not Vlad. They shared the belief that the boy was alive. And they would prove it.

"Where may I be of help?"

If it was the last thing they did.

**A/N: I really adore every review, it's like a little burst of happiness! Hehe, so…give me some more? Tell me what you think of my little peek into Sam and Vlad? Or Danny's reaction, was it realistic? Gah! I must know!**

**So about the updates, yeah, I got a job recently (yaay!) so updates slow. Plus less computer time over the summer, so we shall see. Updates only with my dad again… -.-'**

**Oh! And look at the cover picture! It was done by dear Sholay, so thank her!**

**Reviews:**  
><strong>Thanks to: GracyPhantom, Dawnhallj, daisuke Kazamatsuri, Chopsuzi, The Dp Fangurl, Seantriana, lion799, cocoa85715, Riqis Inna Sunja, Book Phan44, Dreams2Paper11, jeanette9a<strong>

**Dani Lover:** perfect timing, wouldn't you say? If you get this message…I hope you do. Thank you so much, for your compliment and review! Any questions, please ask.

**Elise**: thank you so much!

**You all are so awesome, please send in more reviews? I love them!**


	22. Interlude

QS: We last left Danny with Larten, he knows what he is, he knows it's real, and frankly... he's a bit weirded out.

**A/N:Since I am a horrible person and have actually somehow forgotten which form danny is in, he will be in ghost form this chapter. I will go over the last few chapters as well, someday, and make sure that I didn't mess up with the form either.**

* * *

><p>Chapter 22<p>

The night air was beautiful as the two walked in silence, brisk wind flowing through the green canopy with quiet whispers. Neither boy nor vampire wanted to speak, neither wanted to bring up what was on both their minds. What was still lingering on the younger's tongue…

"When you took me away," Danny began hesitantly, instantly drawing those dark eyes to the boy's lowered head. "Was Ember…still…"

"Still there? Yes, she seemed to be recovering nicely."

Phantom let out the breath he hadn't known he was holding. He couldn't remember the girl, but he didn't want her to die…again.

"They seemed to know you." Larten began, seeming to read his new charges thoughts, "Do you know them?"

The boy opened his mouth to give a hasty no, but he thought better of it. Had he known them? Would he even be able to tell if he had known them? There was no way to know, and that thought scared him. What if there were more out there with a vengeance against him, people or ghosts that he had no recollection of how to fight against. These ghosts had been working for Master, were more to come?

"Danny?" Larten asked cautiously, noting very clearly how the pale face below him had grown ever paler and how his steps had halted. Those green eyes that had been filled with such a fierce light only moments before were now clouded with indescribable fear. A fear that Mr. Crepsley had witnessed before when Madam Octa was stolen in the first place. Thinking of which…

"I brought someone I think might draw you away from whatever troubles you." He said softly, trying to pull the child away from his inner turmoil. He reached into his coat and took out the cage he used to carry his beloved spider: Madam Octa.

Green eyes raised up to see what the older man was talking about, and when he did so, they instantly lit up with glee. "Maddie!" he exclaimed, reaching out a hand to take the tarantula, only to have it pulled back in a cautious manner. He tilted his head as if to ask why, but his answer didn't come from the vampire.  
>He thinks I might bite you. The spider explained, I don't like a lot of people.<br>Phantom laughed, glancing at the cautious vampire above him. "She won't bite me, she told me so herself."

"Why does that not reassure me?" came the dry reply, causing more laughter from the young halfa.

"Uh, I don't know. Maybe because you're older than I am?" He took his hand back and crossed his arms, inspecting the suspicious vampire.

"Look, she was with me for, I think it was two days, maybe just one, I don't know. Point is, she didn't bite me in all that time, why would she now?"

Larten narrowed his eyes, scratching his scar in thought, "Hmm, you are a persuasive one, are you not? Very well, considering you seem to already be half dead, I see no harm in allowing you to kill yourself further." He handed the cage over with a smirk, scar crinkling as the younger boy took it gladly.

"Yes, tha- hey! Wait a second!" he cried indignantly, eyes narrowed in mock fury, causing the older vampire to chuckle.

"I was merely joking, no need to give me the death glare. He laughed at his clever – in his eyes- joke.  
>"Haha, very funny." Danny said sarcastically, opening the cage door and allowing for Madam Octa to spring out on her own free will. It was a nice feeling, for Danny to be able to free someone else just like he was freed. Of course, Maddie was here of her own volition. She had chosen to stay with her longtime friend. It was by choice that she lived within the bars of her cage, not circumstance. As the child laughed and played with his first friend, he took that time to observe the tall vampire that he found himself to be walking through a dark forest with.<p>

He looked strange, at first glance. A scar on his left cheek, bright red cloak and equally bright orange hair would do that to anyone, but in Larten's case, it was merely showing externally the oddity within. He seemed to have a dark sort of humor that rarely presented itself, choosing to be the more serious type instead. Granted, this was all information the young hybrid was gathering from appearance, so he could be entirely different. His previous actions spoke of a man with a kind and noble heart, always a good quality to look for when meeting anyone. Maddie liked him, so at least Danny drew the conclusion that he had found himself in good company. At least for the moment, he still didn't quite know what his situation was, he supposed that it would take time to adjust to being a…vampire. He couldn't deny that he was one, not when he had drunk blood from that ghost. It still lingered on his tongue…

"What are you pondering?" Larten asked carefully, turning a questioning gaze on his young charge. Danny shook his head, trying to clear away his previous thoughts.

"Um…just, trying to figure things out, I guess."

Larten gave a sympathetic nod. "Yes, I suppose little has made sense to you in recent days. You have questions, I suspect."

It wasn't said in a question, and Danny knew it. He did have questions, who wouldn't in his situation? He wanted to understand his new predicament, decide if he wanted to leave or not. So far he seemed to be away from any circuses, but was that a permanent thing? Larten did know that tall cirque guy, so probably not.

"Yes, I do have questions," He began, slowly until he stopped completely, allowing Maddie to climb up a tree and begin making a web (after a quick reassurance to Crepsley that Danny could get her back of course). "I-I want…first things first, can you explain why you keep following me?"

* * *

><p><strong>AN: alrighty! Next time we get some bonding and questions answered! Send some in if you want, I need to know what you think Danny would be curious about, or Larten. Come on guys, this is your chance to get the answers you've been wanting but were too afraid to ask! Even if you don't have an account, you can still ask, please? pretty please with the black frosting and….crud I forget the rest…**

Reviews  
>Thanks to: Kay hau, Blueorgray1236, the dp fangurl, joanne k. riordan(X3), Sholay (thanks hun!), lion700, Gracy Phantom, dreams2Paper11(for your vacation until I get more out), chop suzi, book phan 44, Daisuke kazamatsuri, jeanette9a, Lord Jace, cocoa85715, Riqis inna sunja, kiomori!<p>

I can't believe that I get so many reviews, each one makes me smile and the long ones make me soooo giddy!


	23. Q&A

QS: Q&A time! We are now going to have a bit of discoveries made about our protagonists, but what will they be, and their reactions? That's for me to know, and you to read and find out!

**A/N: So I'm wondering, I've kinda gotten a little confused with my own timeline, and frankly, my original writing stunk like the wolf-man, do you think I should redo the former chapters?**

**CW: we own nothing.**

**vfr: long phrases in italics show flashbacks**

Chapter 23:

"I-I want...first things first, can you explain why you keep following me?"

Mr. Crepsley was taken aback with the first question, it sort of threw him off the serious train of thought he had been riding. No matter, it was a concern for the boy, one that he could relieve.

"Well, you..." He trailed off, trying to discern for himself the reason for his actions. He looked down at the Phantom before him, green eyes blazing with curiosity and an intensity that could dig straight to anyone's soul. "Honestly? It was your eyes."

He gestured to the tree, offering for them to sit down and discuss this like gentlemen. As they got settled, Crepsley gathered his thoughts, noting the slight surprise on the visage beside him.

_He wore a black and white jumpsuit with white trim on his boots, gloves, neckline, and around his waist. He seemed to be glowing, but this wasn't what caught Mr. Crepsley's attention. The boy's eyes, glowing red, were full of pain and longing. As if he had nothing worth living for and had lost all hope in finding anything to live for. In all the years of his life, and there were many, he had never seen that look on a child before..._

"Mr. Crepsley?" Danny asked, seeing the far-off look the man had as he remembered first seeing the child.

"I saw you on that train car a few days ago. You were passing by the Cirque, and you looked...so lost. Longing for something so far out of reach that you were hopeless to ever achieve it.

"Then, when I saw you in town, I wasn't sure what to think. You were robbing the bank with a joyful smile on your face, as if you lived for the thrill of stealing." He paused here, noting that danny flinched at his choice of words, head lowered in shame. Larten reached out to raise the child's face so he could look at him better, "But again, it was your eyes that told the truth. and when you saved those officers from a train crash, I knew something was wrong. That night you said you wanted to be free, and so, I vowed to myself I would free you. Does that answer your question sufficiently?"

Danny chuckled, glancing up into the tree to observe Maddie as she wove a web through the branches. He remembered that night, but he didn't realize that he had been watched.

_Danny clutched at his head from the pain. The crystal ball was demanding that it be obeyed, calling to him and yelling at him to submit to its power once again. But Danny had tasted freedom, he was not about to give it up without a fight. His eyes were open and wide with fear, but deep down, he knew he was fighting a losing battle. Even from this distance, the pull of the crystal was too strong for his young mind._

_"I just want to be free," he moaned to no one. His moaning quickly turned to screams as the pain continued, but they eventually died away once his fatigued mind could no longer keep up the fight. He finally rose from the ground, under the control of Freakshow once more. He grabbed the money bag he had dropped in his haste to get to the car and sped towards the train for another day on the high wire. Silently, Danny thanked that force inside him for the first taste of freedom in two years. No matter how brief it was._

"Yeah, that question is, I guess, but I have others."

Larten nodded, but then smiled with a new thought. "Well, so do I. I propose we go back and forth with this Q and A. IT would be my turn now, if it is alright with you."

"Shoot."

"I would do nothing of the sort!"

"No!" Danny quickly held up his hands as if to stop that train of thought, "No, I didn't mean-" He was interrupted by big loud guffaws that rang through the clearing. Realizing the ol man had been teasing him, he humphed and crossed his arms, glaring at the man.

"Oh, come now, child, you must learn to laugh!"

"Ha ha," Danny said snidely, faking a laugh. "Very funny, ho ho, it is to laugh."

"Alright, alright, so you are not the joking type, we shall have to fix that someday." Larten gathered his breath, readying himself for the next question. "But, in all seriousness, how did you come to be with...with..."

"Freakshow?" Danny asked, receiving a nod. He pulled in his knees, resting his chin on them as he hugged his legs closely to himself. "I don't know much, I can only remember the past two years, but I've been with him ever since then. That Crystal ball kept us on a leash it hard for me to even think. We were nothing more than minions to him, but he treated us worse than dogs." He blinked, unsure where that analogy had come from considering he'd never actually known what a dog was treated like dogs." He shook his head, speaking up again, "Alright, my turn to ask questions. Why did you turn me into a vampire?"

Larten chuckled, "I was expecting that to be your first question, actually. When my companions and I came to your rescue, the train was crashed and and you were severely injured. It was the only thing I could think to do to save your life, especially when I learned that you were indeed alive."

"So, vampires have speed-healing or something?" Danny asked, poking at his ribs a little in wonder. He remembered the crash, and the pain that immediately followed, it should have taken quite a bit longer to heal than a few days.

"Among other things, yes. Although, your recovery is much faster than I would have expected. I could not tell you if this were because of your ghostly side, or the herbs that Mr. Tall gave you." The vampire scratched his scar in thought, debating over the two options.

"You...wouldn't happen to know how I got a ghostly side, would you?" The halfa hesitated in his question, unsure how to ask. He stared intently at his white boots, avoiding the gaze of the older man. He didn't want to see pity, or any other condescending emotion, he just wanted answers. If he knew the answer, great, otherwise he wasn't any closer to the truth than before, no harm, no foul.

"Truthfully, before you came along, I had no idea ghosts even existed in the first place."

Danny shrugged, then smiled, "Couldn't hurt to ask, but since you didn't actually answer my question, do I get another one?"

Larten resisted the urge to roll his eyes, "You did not answer my previous question," he pointed out.

"I gave you the answer I had!" The boy cried indignantly, though with a smile on his face showing he was kidding as well.

"As did I, so I believe we are even. My turn." Larten smiled, crinkling his scar as he did so. the boy crossed his arms again, but didn't protest further, allowing allowing the vampire to think of another question. "What did the blood of that ghost taste like?"

Phantom paled a bit, and even a little green at the memory. "It..." he hesitated, unsure of how to describe the taste., and unsure if he wanted to. "It wasn't sweet, exactly, but it tasted so good." he shivered, not wanting to actually like the blood of another being.

Larten sensed the unease from the child next to him, and he sighed, "I am sure this is not the life you probably wanted for yourself, but it could be exactly what it is you need. I will teach you everything you need to know, controlling these urges for blood is one of those things."

Danny smiled, feeling reassured by the words. He opened his mouth to thank the vampire, but he was interrupted by an unknown voice.

"How sweet, a vampire master and his assistant."

"Murlough."

**A/N: What? a cliffy? You weren't expecting that were you? hheehe. Please tell me what you think, I need inspiration to keep going you know, feed the muses!**

**Thanks to: Phyllis Joy Wolfe, shugokage, xxtoushirou, GracyPhantom, The DP fangurl, Dreams2Paper11, bookphan44, chopsuzi, kay hau, jeanette9a**

**ParisPhantom:** don't worry, I didn't forget your question submission, but it isn't time for that just yet, ok? It will come I promise!

**for everyone else that hasn't review but still wants a question answered, theres more of the story isn't there? things can be answered, and I need things like questions to make sure I'm clear on what I write. Jeanette9a knows ^.^**


	24. Murlough

Qs: so last chapter we had a bit of bonding, as well as finally clearing some things up for, hopefully, both you and our paranormal friends. (If you still have questions, even if you don't have an account, please ask) Vlad and Sam are on the hunt, we'll get to check in with them soon, so don't freak out; I will answer those awesome questions directed at them. But what you're really after is the cliffy where crazy, Vampeneze Murlough shows up, huh?

**A/N: I'm sorry for the delay in updates; I've been a combination of sick and lazy lately. So sorry! But I also didn't want to saddle you with a pitiful a terribly short chapter that no one should be satisfied. Alas, I'm still sick so I'm not sure how good this chapter is. **

**CW: so without further ado, I give thee**

**Both: chapter 24!**

Chapter 24:

"Murlough." Larten acknowledged, the smile on his face now wiped completely from his face, leaving an expression Danny couldn't read, and bit because the sun had begun to set and leech away the daylight from the earth. Actually, the hybrid could see quite well considering.

Judging only by Larten's tone and visage, Danny could tell the two weren't friends, but they weren't complete enemies either. It seemed almost as if they respected one another, if only grudgingly.

The boy turned his gaze to the edge of the clearing to study the newcomer, shocked by what he saw. There, a man in a long dark trench coat stood with a girl in an equally dark trench coat. The man's skin, of what little there was visible, was a dark shade of purple, highlighting the whites of his eyes and further accentuated the blood red of his eyes, nails, and even his long hair. He looked as if he had been bathing in blood for months!

The girl was only slightly better, but not by much. She appeared to be in her late teens, early twenties at the most. Her long hair and narrowed eyes were a perplexing mix of brown and red that didn't clash together. Somehow, they seemed to complement her soft face, as if this was what she had been born to look like, and the more red she would gain, the truer her form would be. Her slight frame looked buried in the trench coat, but just by the way she swayed back and forth, you could see she held hidden power in her thin limbs.

"Um…Mr. Crepsley?" Danny whispered, but the vampire ignored him.

"What brings you here, Murlough?" Larten questioned, unease now playing faintly in his voice.

"Murlough can't visit?" The man asked, feigning hurt, "Not nice, not nice at all. Especially when we both have new friends. My friend wants to play with him; you wouldn't deny her that would you?"

Larten tensed, the wording may have been juvenile, but it did not take a genius to recognize when a challenge was being served. And once a challenge was issued, you could not refuse. Not without a consequence very well worse than death. Larten shuddered at the thought of his options. 1-He could allow his freshly blooded half-vampire to accept the challenge, or 2- abandon him to his own luck in the world of the humans. To some, the second option would seem preferable, and even harmless, but to release a new-blood would mean causing unneeded deaths. The boy wouldn't be able to control his thirst, and would therefore kill recklessly. On his own, he would be hunted down and surely executed. And yet... Crepsley was unsure if the boy could survive a duel. He had held his own against those two ghosts, but only by a spider thread. As resilient as Danny seemed to be, it was unlikely he would survive an encounter with a half-vampeneze, as the girl clearly was (1).

"What's he talking about?" Danny asked, "And why is he talking in third person?"

"She wants to challenge you." Larten responded, never letting his eyes stray from the two killers at the edge of the clearing. "Usually, they are only extended to full vampires and full vampeneze, but it is not uncommon for half-vampires and half-vampires to duel as well."

"A duel?" Danny questioned, "Like, a spar or something?"

"No," The older man looked gravely down at his charge. "A fight, a duel, to the death."

"What?" Danny took a step back in disbelief. "She's just a kid! _I'm_ just a kid! I may have done some bad things in my life, but I'm no killer."

"Murlough's sorry, little one," Murlough snickered, "But if you don't, Zaria will kill you dead."

Danny's eyes were as wide as dinner plates. He couldn't kill anyone, and he certainly wouldn't fight a girl! But…if she was going to kill him…He closed his eyes, inhaling deeply, and when he opened them again, his eyes blazed bright green. Something about the expression on Larten's face told him it would not be wise to decline the challenge, as if he had personally done so or, more likely since he was alive and well now, had witnessed what would happen if he didn't comply. If it was enough to give the man that expression, he didn't want to know what it was.

He stopped in the middle of the clearing, shoulders squared, head raised in defiance. "I accept your challenge." He looked strong, green eyes glowing so bright that they cut through the approaching darkness. Looking at him, Larten couldn't help but feel a twinge of pride in the young boy he had barely come to know. He hadn't even told the boy all the details yet, and he already could sense the severity of the situation and was stepping up to the plate to do something about it.

The girl, Zaria, stepped away from her master to meet Danny in the center of the clearing. "Before I kill you," The girls voice, soft and lilting, was as if she were talking about going to the store, "Can you tell me your name?"

"Danny," The white haired boy extended a hand, still polite even when facing an opponent.

Zaria looked at the hand, took it in a firm handshake, and then smirked. "You are a strange one, Danny." With a mighty yell from out of the blue, the small girl tightened her grip on the boy's hand and swung him over her shoulder so that he was now on his back on the ground.

"But very naïve," She giggled like an innocent school girl, hand covering her mouth, and jumped away slightly, just out of range.

Danny groaned as he lifted himself from the floor, glaring at the girl. His eyes flicked over to Larten off to the side, and was annoyed to see the amused look that crinkled the scar on his smug face. But behind that, he caught something else. He couldn't say exactly how he knew, but something about the way his head shook slightly, an act that could be interpreted to be with his amusement, said 'don't reveal yourself. Keep your cards close to your vest.'

He got the message loud and clear, but that didn't mean Danny liked it. If he couldn't use his powers, how was he supposed to win this fight? "You don't play around, do you?" He squinted his eyes as he gazed up at the girls upside down, to him, form.

"Now why would I do that?" Zaria asked innocently. "Are you going to begin fighting soon? I can tell you're holding back, and it won't be half as fun to kill you if you don't stop that."

Danny scooted away from the girl, and then thrust himself into a standing position. He raised his hands in a complacent manner. "Can't we just have a friendly match? We barely know each other; shouldn't we have a date before we try to kill one another?"

"You talk too much." Zaria growled out in annoyance, clearly her patience was wearing thin. She let out a howl along with a flurry of punches and kicks at super human speeds; it was all Danny could do just to block the maelstrom of limbs.

From that point on, Danny decided that talking wasn't going to get him out of this situation, and quickly abandoned it. Zaria was right; he did tend to talk too much, mostly to himself. As he was doing now.

He was flung backwards into a tree trunk, payment for his split attention no doubt. He groaned, feeling every one of his nearly completely healed injuries from the train ache as they jostled or, in the case of his poor abused ribs, broke again. He had to step up his game if he didn't want to be killed. But that would be difficult; already just from trying to get back onto his feet, he could feel his broken ribs poking into his lungs and threatening to puncture. Not good. He lifted his gaze up to see the Vampeneze girl scoffing at him, as if he weren't even worth the grass under her feet.

"I expected more from an assistant of the great Larten Crepsley, new blood or not. Disgraceful really."

Danny bristled at her words, but not at the insult. It was what she had called him. An _assistant_. Even within his own mind, the word hissed out like water over hot coals. To him, the word was no different than slave, which he certainly was not, and never would be again. Ignoring the pain in his chest, he squared his shoulders and got ready for another round, eyes blazing green. A daring smirk tugged at his lips, and tauntingly, he curled his fingers in and out, the universal sign for 'come and get me'.

Zaria took the challenge with a smirk of her own. "And so, the real fight begins."

(Line break)

Sam slipped her thin arms through the straps of her backpack. It was a large one, not her usual fuzzy spider as she usually wore, but this was a time that she needed the extra space. Within the bag, she had some clothes, water, and a few dozen granola bars and other assorted nonperishable items. She was ready to embark on her journey, and her goal would be reached. With her mouth set into a determined line, she left the extravagant room within the Masters mansion and crept into the hallway.

She hadn't told the owner of the mansion of her plans to leave, and she wanted to keep him in the dark of her departure for as long as she could. Knowing him, he would either talk her into staying, or try and come with her, both routes she didn't want. It was bad enough that she had to lie to Jazz and Tucker, but Vlad was impossible to fool. Despite how she had once felt about the man, they had become close in a friendly sense, and he would no doubt sense her lies from a mile away. No, the only way to avoid such a situation was to leave in silence and hope that she was not eventually followed.

"And where do you think you are going at this hour?" Vlad said in a smug voice, arms crossed as he blocked her from progressing down the hallway any further. He was dressed in different attire than usual, more comfortable and somehow looked more durable.

Sam nearly groaned, it looked like he was planning on coming with her after all. "I have to find Danny; it's been too long already. I have a new lead, and I'm going to follow it." She shouldered her pack and prepared to push past the man if he didn't budge, but she was only greeted with a chuckle, a very annoying chuckle. "You don't think I can do this on my own? Well I can, and I will!"

"No, you won't." He turned around, aggravating the girl even further. He walked calmly over to a column similar to those found in ancient Rome and reached behind it, pulling out a pack of his own. "I am coming with you, whether you like it or not."

Sam grumbled, but there was no way she was going to convince the man to let her go alone. At least he had taught her that much in her time here. She sighed, "Fine! But you better not slow me down old man."

Vlad watched as she shouldered past him, not even bothering to check if he was coming after her or not. "Wouldn't dream of it, Samantha." He whispered.

**A/N: 1)I don't know if there really are such things as half-vampeneze, but it would make sense wouldn't it?**

**Well that took forever for me to finish! I hope that was a good enough chapter for yall, cuz I seriously worked my butt off for it! I'm going to go sleep for a week now…**

**By the way, I've started getting into the fullmetal alchemist fandom, anyone interested in work from me for that?**

Thanks to: Phantom Trainer, NedFynTanon (X2), snakeofdreams, harrypottercankissmyarse, Phyllis Joy Wolfe, Kaybay1158, The Dp Fangurl, cocoa85715, book phan44, ChopSuzi, Kay Hau, Paris Phantom, xxToushirou, Dreams2Paper11, shugokage, jeanette9a, seantriana!

Lalala: his fast healing made it better, remember?

Atp: Oh no! He's missing! Nah, he's just not in the picture yet. He might come in, but I'm not sure, ok? I hope it's not a 'stop reading' reason

Midnight: sorry for the lateness! WB is killer

**Wow… 20+ reviews for one chapter! That's amazing! Come on guys, I'm almost to three hundred reviews! Who knew? Omg, you are all awesome!**

**And I can't remember if I said this before, but xxtouchirou won for the 250****th**** review, but she didn't want anything so you should give her something for me! Like reading or reviewing or something…yeah, that sounds good! **


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